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'     *   I 
PH(ENIX  EDITION'. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY 


BY 

E.     P.    ROE, 

AUTHOR  OF  "WHAT  CAN  SHE  r>o?w  "OPENING  A  CHESTNUT  BUKB," 

*  FROM  JEST  TO  EARNEST,"    *'  WITHOUT  A  HOME,"   "  DRIVE* 
BACK  TO  EDEN,"  "NEAR  TO  NATURE'S  HEART,"  ETC. 


NEW  'AND  REVISED  EDITION. 


NEW    YORK 
DODD,    MEAD    AND    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1878, 

BY  DODD  &  MEAD, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 

COPYRIGHT,  1882,  1885,  and  1892, 
BT  DODD,  MEAD,  &  COMPANY. 

HENRY  MORSE  STEPHCTB 


IS  EEVERENTLY  DEDICATED  TO  THE  MEMORY  OP 
MY  MOTHER. 


510194 


PREFACE   TO   FIRST  EDITION. 


I  SHALL  say  but  few  words  in  regard  to  this  first  child  of 
my  imagination. 

About  one  year  ago  our  hearts  were  in  deepest  sympathy 
with  our  fellow-citizens  of  Chicago,  and  it  occurred  to  me 
that  their  losses,  sufferings,  and  fortitude  might  teach  les 
sons  after  the  echoes  of  the  appalling  event  had  died  away 
in  the  press  ;  and  that  even  the  lurid  and  destructive  flames 
might  reveal  with  greater  vividness  the  need  and  value  of 
Christian  faith. 

I  spent  some  days  among  the  smouldering  ruins,  and 
then  began  the  following  simple  story,  which  has  grown 
into  larger  proportions  than  I  at  first  intended.  But  com 
paratively  a  small  part  of  the  narrative  is  occupied  with 
the  fire,  for  its  scenes  are  beyond  description,  and  too 
strange  and  terrible  to  be  dwelt  upon.  Therefore  the 
thread  of  my  story  is  carried  rapidly  through  that  period 
of  unparalleled  excitement  and  disaster. 

Nearly  all  the  scenes  introduced  are  historical,  and  are 
employed  to  give  their  terrible  emphasis  to  that  which  is 
equally  true  in  the  serenest  and  securest  times. 

E.  P.  R. 


CONTENTS 


I.  LOVE  UNKNOWN    .          .          .          »          « 

1 

IL  LOVE  KNOWN         .          .    '      •          .          « 

9 

15 

22 

28 

34 

40 

Till.  YAHCOB  BUNK       .          .          .          . 

46 

IX.  LAND  AT  LAST       .... 

53 

X.  THE  NEW  BROOM                        .          • 

60 

XI.  TOO  MUCH    ALIKE  .                              »              . 

66 

XII.  BLUE  BLOOD                     .          .          • 

72 

XIII.  VERT  COLD  

83 

XIV.  SHE  SPEAKS  TO  HIH         .          .          . 

88 

XV.  PROMOTED               .           .           .           . 

91 

XVI.  JUST  IN  TIME                   .          .          . 

98 

XVII.  RESCUED      .                                          . 

106 

XVIII   Miss  LUDOLPH  MAKES  A  DISCOVERT   . 

118 

XIX.  WHAT  is  THE  MATTER  WITH  Hun  9       • 

120 

XX.  Is  HE  A  GENTLEMAN  ?                  .           . 

128 

XXI.  CHRISTINE'S  IDKA  OF  CHRISTIANS         . 

136 

XXII.  EQUAL  TO  AN  EMERGENCY          o          . 

146 

XXIII.  THE  REVELATION  .... 

154 

XXIV.  NIGHT  THOUGHTS  .          .          .          • 

164 

XXV.  LARKNESS    ..... 

172 

XXVI.  Miss  LUDOLPH  COMMITS  A  THEFT         • 

184 

XXVII.  A  MISERABLE  TRIUMPH  .           .          . 

193 

XXVIII.  LIFE  WITHOUT  LOVE         .           .           . 

203 

XXIX.  DENNIS'S  LOVE  PUT  TO  PRACTICAL  Us» 

214 

XXX.  THE  Two  HEIGHTS           .           .           . 

230 

XXXI.  BEGUILED    . 

$40 

Til 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

XXXII.  BITTER  DISAPPOINTMENT           ,          ...  248 

XXXIII.  THE  Two  PICTTTRES          .....  260 

XXXIV.  REGRET       .......  272 

XXXV.  REMORSE      .......  286 

XXXVI.  AN  APPARITION      ......  296 

XXXVH.  IP  HE  KNEW  j         ......  308 

XXXVIII.  THE  GATES  OPEN   ......  819 

XXXIX.  SUSIE  WlNTHROP  APPEARS  AGAIN             ...  331 

XL.  SUGGESTIVE  PICTURES  AND  A  PRIZE     .          .          .340 

XLI.  FIRE  I    FIRE  I        ......  345 

XLII.  BARON  LUDOLPH  LEARNS  THE  TRUTH            .          .  352 

XLIII.  "  CHRISTINE,  AWAKE  J  FOR  TOUR  LIFE  r*      .          .  360 

XLIV.  ON  THE  BEACH      ......  372 

XLV.  "  PRATER  is  MIGHTT/*    CHRISTINE  A  CHRISTIAN    .  384 

XL  VI.  CHRISTINE'S  GRAVE          .....  394 

XL  VII.  SUSIE  WINTHROP  ......  401 

XLVIII.  DR.  ARTEN  STRUCK  BT  LIGHTNING  .          .409 

XLIX.  BILL  CRONK'S  TOAST       .....  419 

L.  EVBKY  BABBLER  BURNED  AW  AT                               •  429 


BAKEIEES  BTJKNED  AWAY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

LOVE  UNKNOWN. 

FROM  its  long  sweep  over  the  unbroken  prairie  a  heavier 
blast  than  usual  shook  the  slight  frame  house.  The  win. 
dows  rattled  in  the  casements,  as  if  shivering  in  their  dumb 
way  in  the  December  storm.  So  open  and  defective  was  the 
dwelling  in  its  construction,  that  eddying  currents  of  cold 
air  found  admittance  at  various  points,— in  some  instances 
carrying  with  them  particles  of  the  fine,  sharp,  hail-like 
snow  that  the  gale  was  driving  before  it  in  blinding  fury. 

Seated  at  one  of  the  windows,  peering  out  into  the  gath 
ering  gloom  of  the  swiftly  coming  night,  was  a  pale,  faded 
woman  with  lustrous  dark  eyes.  An  anxious  light  shone 
from  them,  as  she  tried  in  vain  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
darkening  road  that  ran  at  a  distance  of  about  fifty  yards 
from  the  house.  As  the  furious  blast  shook  the  frail  tene 
ment,  and  circled  round  her  in  chilly  currents  from  many 
a  crack  and  crevice,  she  gave  a  short,  hacking  cough,  and 
drew  a  thin  shawl  closer  about  her  slight  frame. 

The  unwonted  violence  of  the  wind  had  its  effect  upon 
another  occupant  of  the  room.  From  a  bed  in  the  corner 
near  the  stove  came  a  feeble,  hollow  voice, — "  Wife  I" 

In  a  moment  the  woman  was  bending  over  the  bed,  and 
in  a  voice  full  of  patient  tenderness  answered,  "  Well, 
dear?" 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


<    .".  Has  lie  come?" 

"  Not  yet ;  but  he  must  be  here  soon." 

The  word  must  was  emphasized  in  such  a  way  as  to  mean 
doubt  rather  than  certainty,  as  if  trying  to  assure  her  own 
mind  of  a  matter  about  which  painful  misgivings  could  not 
be  banished.  The  quick  ear  of  the  sick  man  caught  the 
tone,  and  in  a  querulous  voice  he  said,  "  Oh  !  if  he  should 
not  get  here  in  time,  it  would  be  the  last  bitter  drop  in  my 
cup,  now  full  and  running  over." 

"  Dear  husband,  if  human  strength  and  love  can  accom 
plish  it,  he  will  be  here  soon.  But  the  storm  is  indeed 
frightful,  and  were  the  case  less  urgent,  I  could  almost 
wish  he  would  not  try  to  make  his  way  through  it.  But 
then  we  know  what  Dennis  is  ;  he  never  stops  to  consider 
difficulties,  but  pushes  right  on  ;  and  if— if  he  doesn't— if 
it  is  possible,  he  will  be  here  before  very  long." 

In  spite  of  herself,  the  mother's  heart  showed  its  anxiety, 
and,  too  late  for  remedy,  she  saw  the  effect  upon  her  hus 
band.  He  raised  himself  in  bed  with  sudden  and  unwont 
ed  strength.  His  eyes  grew  wild  and  almost  fierce,  and  in 
a  sharp,  hurried  voice,  he  said  :  "  You  don't  think  there  is 
danger  ?  There  is  no  fear  of  his  getting  lost  ?  If  I  thought 
that  I  would  curse  God  and  die." 

"  O  Dennis,  my  husband,  God  forbid  that  you  should 
speak  thus !  How  can  you  feel  so  toward  our  Best 
^  Friend?" 

"  AViiat  kind  of  a  friend  has  He  been  to  me,  pray  ?    Has 

'>'     not  my  life  been  one  long  series  of  misfortunes  ?    Have  I 

not  been  disappointed  in  all  my  hopes  ?    I  once  believed  in 

God  and  tried  to  sei  ve  Him.     But  if,  as  I  have  been  taught, 

all  this  evil  and  misfortune  was  ordered  and  made  my  in- 

x   eviiable  lot  by  Him,  He  has  not  been  my  friend,  but  my 

enemy.     He's  been  against  me,  not  for  me." 

In  the  winter  twilight  the  man's  emaciated,  unshorn  face 
had  the  ghostly,  ashen  hue  of  death.  From  cavernous 
sockets  his  eyes  gleamed  with  a  terribly  vindictive  light. 


AEEIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

akin  to  insanity,  and,  in  a  harsh,  high  voice,  as  unnatural 
as  his  appearance  and  words,  he  continued  :  "  Remember 
what  I  have  gone  through  !  what  I  have  suffered  !  how 
often  the'cup  of  success  that  I  was  raising  to  my  lips  has 
been  dashed  to  the  ground  !" 

'"  Bat,  Dennis,  think  a  moment." 

"  Ah  1  haven't  I  thought  till  my  heart  is  gall  and  my 
brain  bursting  ?  Haven't  I,  while  lying  hero,  hopelessly 
dying,  gone  over  my  life  again  and  again  ?  Haven't  I  lived 
over  every  disappointment,  and  taken  every  step  down 
ward  a  thousand  times  ?  Remember  the  pleasant,  plenti 
ful  home  I  took  you  from,  under  the  great  elms  in  Con 
necticut.  Your  father  did  not  approve  of  your  marrying 
a  poor  school-teacher.  But  you  know  that  then  I  had  every 
prospect  of  getting  the  village  academy,  but  with  my  lack 
another  got  ahead  of  me.  Then  I  determined  to  study  law. 
What  hopes  I  had  I  I  already  grasped  political  honors 
that  seemed  within  my  reach,  for  you  know  I  was  a  ready 
speaker.  If  my  friends  could  only  have  seen  that  I  was 
peculiarly  fitted  for  public  life  and  advanced  me  sufficient 
means,  I  would  have  returned  it  tenfold.  But  no  ;  I  was 
forced  into  other  things  for  which  I  had  no  great  aptness  or 
knowledge,  and  years  of  struggling  poverty  and  repeated 
disappointment  followed.  At  last  your  father  died  and 
gave  us  enough  to  buy  a  cheap  farm  out  here.  But  why 
go  over  our  experience  in  the  West  ?  My  plan  of  making 
sugar  from  the  sorghum,  which  promised  so  brilliantly,  has 
ended  in  the  most  wretched  failure  of  all.  And  now  money 
has  gone,  health  has  gone,  and  soon  my  miserable  life  will 
be  over.  Our  boy  must  come  back  from  college,  and  you 
and  the  two  little  ones, — what  will  you  do  ?"  and  the  man 
covered  his  head  with  the  blanket  and  wept  aloud.  His 
poor  wife,  borne  down  by  the  torrent  of  his  sorrow,  was  on 
her  knees  at  his  bedside,  with  her  face  buried  in  her  hands, 
weeping  also. 

But  suddenly  he  started  up.     His  sobs  ceased.     His  tears 


4  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

ceased  to  flow,  while  his  eyes  grew  hard  and  fierce,  and 
his  hands  clenched. 

"  But  he  was  coming,"  he  said.  "  He  may  get  lost  in 
the  storm  this  bitter  winter  night." 

He  grasped  his  wife  roughly  by  the  arm.  She  was  aston 
ished  at  his  sudden  strength,  and  raised  a  tearful,  startled 
face  to  his.  It  was  well  she  could  not  see  its  terrible  ex 
pression  in  the  dusk  ;  but  she  shuddered  as  he  hissed  in 
her  ear,  "  If  this  should  happen, — if  my  miserable  death  is 
the  cause  of  his  death, — if  my  accursed  destiny  involves 
him,  your  staff  and  hope,  in  so  horrible  a  fate,  what  have  I 
to  do  but  curse  God  and  die  ?" 

It  seemed  to  the  poor  woman  that  her  heart  would  burst 
with  the  agony  of  that  moment.  As  the  storm  had  in 
creased,  a  terrible  dread  had  chilled  her  very  soul.  Every 
louder  blast  than  usual  had  caused  her  an  internal  shiver, 
while  for  her  husband 's  sake  she  had  controlled  herself  out 
wardly.  Like  a  shipwrecked  man  who  is  clinging  to  a 
rock,  that  he  fears  the  tide  will  submerge,  she  had  watched 
the  snow  rise  from  one  rail  to  another  along  the  fence. 
When  darkness  set  in  it  was  half-way  up  to  the  top  rail, 
and  she  knew  it  was  drifting.  The  thought  of  her  ruddy, 
active,  joyous-hearted  boy,  whose  affection  and  hopefulness 
had  been  the  broad  track  of  sunlight  on  her  hard  path, — 
the  thought  of  his  lying  white  and  still  beneath  one  of  these 
great  banks,  just  where  she  could  never  know  till  spring 
rains  and  suns  revealed  to  an  indifferent  stranger  his  sleep 
ing-place, — now  nearly  overwhelmed  her  also,  and  even  her 
faith  wavered  on  the  brink  of  the  dark  gulf  of  despair  into 
which  her  husband  was  sinking.  Left  to  herself,  she  might 
have  sunk  for  a  time,  though  her  sincere  belief  in  God's 
goodness  and  love  would  have  triumphed.  But  her  wom 
anly,  unselfish  nature,  her  long  habit  of  sustaining  and 
comforting  her  husband,  came  to  her  aid.  Breathing  a 
quick  prayer  to  heaven,  which  was  scarcely  more  than  a 
gasp  and  a  glauce  upward,  she  asked,  hardly  knowing 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  5 

what  she  said,  "  And  what  if  he  is  not  lost  ?    What  if  God 
restores  him  safe  and  well  ?" 

She  shuddered  after  she  had  thus  spoken,  for  she  saw 
that  her  husband's  belief  in  the  hostility  of  God  had  reached 
almost  the  point  of  insanity.  If  this  test  failed,  would  he 
not,  in  spite  of  all  she  could  say  or  do,  curse  God  and  die, 
as  he  had  said  ?  But  she  had  been  guided  in  her  words 
more  than  she  knew.  He  that  careth  for  the  fall  of  the 
sparrow  had  not  forgotten  His  children  in  their  sore  ex. 
tremity. 

The  man  in  answer  to  her  question  relaxed  his  hold  upon 
her  arm,  and  with  a  long  breath  fell  back  on  his  pillow. 

"  Ah  1"  said  he,  "  if  I  could  only  see  him  again  safe  and 
well,  if  I  could  only  leave  you  with  him  as  your  protector 
and  support,  I  believe  I  could  forgive  all  the  past  and  be 
reconciled  even  to  my  hard  lot." 

"  Gqd  gives  you  opportunity  so  to  do,  my  father,  for 
here  I  am  safe  and  sound." 

The  soft  snow  had  muffled  the  son's  footsteps,  and  his  ap 
proach  had  been  unnoted.  Entering  at  the  back  door,  and 
passing  through  the  kitchen,  he  had  surprised  his  parents 
in  the  painful  scene  above  described.  As  he  saw  his  moth 
er's  form  in  dim  outline  kneeling  at  the  bed,  her  face  buried 
in  its  covering,— as  he  heard  his  father's  significant  words. — 
the  quick-witted  youth  realized  the  situation.  While  he 
loved  his  father  dearly,  and  honored  him  for  his  many  good 
traits,  he  was  also  conscious  of  his  faults,  especially  this 
most  serious  one  now  threatening  such  fatal  consequences, — 
that  of  charging  to  God  the  failures  and  disappointments - 
resulting  from  defects  in  his  own  character.  )  It  seemed  as 
if  a  merciful  Providence  was  about  to  use  this  awful  dread 
of  accident  to  the  son — a  calamity  that  rose  far  above  and 
overshadowed  all  the  past— as  the  means  of  winning  back 
the  alienated  heart  of  this  weak  and  erring  man. 

The  effect  of  the  sudden  presence  in  the  sick-room  was 
most  marked.  The  poor  mother,  who  had  shown  such  self- 


6  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

control  and  patient  endurance  before,  now  gave  way  utter* 
ly,  and  clung  for  a  few  moments  to  her  son's  neck  with 
hysterical  energy,  then  in  strong  reaction  fainted  away. 
The  strain  upon  her  worn  and  overtaxed  system  had  been 
too  severe. 

At  first  the  sick  man  could  only  look  through  the  dusk 
at  the  outline  of  his  son  with  a  bewildered  stare,  his  mind 
too  weak  to  comprehend  the  truth.  But  soon  he  too  was 
sobbing  for  joy. 

But  when  his  wife  suddenly  became  a  lifeless  weight  in 
his  son's  arms,  who  in  wild  alarm  cried,  "  Mother,  what  is 
the  matter  ?  Speak  to  me  1  Oh  I  1  have  killed  her  by  my 
rash  entrance,"  the  sick  man's  manner  changed,  and  his 
eyes  again  became  dry  and  hard,  and  even  in  the  darkness 
had  a  strange  glitter. 

"  Is  your  mother  dead  ?"  he  asked,  in  a  low,  hoarse 
voice. 

"  O  mother,  speak  to  me  1"  cried  the  son,  forgetting!** 
a  time  his  father. 

For  a  moment  there  was  death-like  silence.  Then  the 
young  man  groped  for  an  old  settle  in  the  corner  of  the 
room,  laid  his  mother  tenderly  upon  it,  and  sprung  for  a'> 
light,  but  as  he  passed  his  father's  bed  the  same  strong 
grasp  fell  upon  his  arm  that  his  mother  had  shuddered 
under  a  little  before,  and  the  question  was  this  time  hissed 
in  his  ear,  '*  Is  your  mother  dead  ?"  For  a  moment  he  had 

Ino  power  to  answer,  and  his  father  continued  :  "  What  a 
fool  I  was  to  expect  God  to  show  mercy  or  kindness  to  me 
or  mine  while  I  was  above  ground  1  You  are  only  brought 
home  to  suffer  more  than  death  in  seeing  your  mother  die. 
May  that  God  that  has  followed  me  all  my  life,  not  with 
blessings — " 

"  Hush,  father  !"  cried  his   son,  in  loud,  commanding 
tones.     "  Hush,  I  entreat,"  and  in  his  desperation  he  actu 
ally  put  his  hand  over  his  father's  mouth. 
The  poor  woman  must  have  been  dead,  indeed,  had  she 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

long  remained  deaf  to  the  voice  of  her  beloved  son,  and  his 
loud  tones  partially  revived  her.  In  a  faint  voice  she 
called,  "  Dennis  1" 

With  hands  suddenly  relaxed,  and  hearts  almost  stilled 
in  their  beating,  father  and  son  listened  for  a  second. 
Again,  a  little  louder,  through  that  dark  and  silent  room, 
was  heard  the  faint  call,  "  Dennis  1" 

Springing  to  her  side,  her  son  exclaimed,  "  O  mother,  I 
am  here  ;  don't  leave  us  ;  in  mercy  don't  leave  us.'* 

"  It  was  I  she  called,"  said  his  father. 

With  unnatural  strength  he  had  tottered  across  tho  room, 
and  taking  his  wife's  hand,  cried, "  O  Ethel,  don't  die  1  don't 
fill  my  already  full  cup  to  overflowing  with  bitterness  I" 

Their  familiar  voices  were  the  best  of  remedies.  After 
a  moment  she  sat  up,  and  passing  her  hand  across  her  brow 
as  if  to  clear  away  confusion  of  mind,  said  :  "  Don't  be 
alarmed  ;  it's  only  a  faint  turn.  I  don't  wonder  though 
lisa',  you  are  frightened,  for  I  never  was  so  before." 

Poor  woman,  amid  all  the  emergencies  of  her  hard  lot, 
bhe  had  never  in  the  past  given  way  so  far. 

Then,  becoming  aware  of  her  husband's  position,  she  ex- 
claimed  :  "  Why,  Dennis,  my  husband,  out  of  your  bed? 
You  will  catch  your  death." 

"  Ah,  wife,  that  matters  little  if  you  and  Dennis  live." 

"  But  it  matters  much  to  me,"  cried  she,  springing  up. 

By  this  time  her  son  had  struck  a  light,  and  each  was 
able  to  look  on  the  other's  face.  The  unnatural  strength, 
the  result  of  excitement,  was  fast  leaving  tho  sick  man. 
The  light  revealed  him  helplessly  leaning  on  the  couch 
where  his  wife  had  lain.  His  face  was  ashen  in  color,  and 
he  was  gasping  for  breath*  Tenderly  they  carried  him 
back  to  his  bed,  and  ho  was  too  weak  now  to  do  more  than 
quietly  lie  upon  it  and  gaze  at  them.  After  replenishing 
the  tire,  and  looking  at  the  little  ones  that  were  sleeping  in 
the  outer  room,  they  shaded  the  lamp,  and  sat  down  at  his 
bedside,  while  the  mother  asked  her  son  many  eager  ques- 


8  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

tions  as  to  his  escape.  He  told  them  how  he  had  struggled 
through  the  snow  till  almost  exhausted,  when  he  had  been 
overtaken  by  a  farmer  with  a  strong  team,  and  thus  enabled 
to  make  the  journey  in  safety. 

As  the  sick  man  looked  and  listened,  his  face  grew  softer 
and  more  quiet  in  its  expression. 

Then  the  young  man,  remembering,  said  :  "  I  bought  the 
medicines  you  wrote  for,  mother,  at  Bankville.  This,  the 
druggist  said,  would  produce  quiet  and  sleep,  and  surely 
father  needs  it  after  the  excitement  of  the  evening." 

The  opiate  was  given,  and  soon  the  regular,  quiet  breath 
ing  of  the  patient  showed  that  it  had  taken  effect.  A  plain 
but  plentiful  supper,  which  the  anxious  mother  had  pre 
pared  hours  before,  was  placed  upon  the  kitchen  table,  and 
the  young  man  did  ample  justice  to  it ;  for,  the  moment 
the  cravings  of  his  heart  were  satisfied  in  meeting  his  kin 
dred  after  absence,  he  became  conscious  of  the  keenest  hun 
ger.  Toiling  through  the  snow  for  hours  in  the  face  of  the 
December  storm  had  taxed  his  system  to  the  utmost,  and 
now  he  felt  the  need  of  food  and  rest.  After  supper  he 
honestly  meant  to  watch  at  his  father's  bedside,  while  his 
mother  slept ;  but  he  had  scarcely  seated  himself  on  the  old 
settle,  when  sleep,  like  an  armed  man,  overpowered  him, 
and  in  spite  of  all  his  efforts  he  was  soon  bound  in  the 
dreamless  slumber  of  healthful  youth.  But  with  eyes  so 
wide  and  lustrous  that  it  seemed  as  if  sleep  could  never 
close  them  again,  the  wife  and  mother,  pale  and  silent, 
watched  between  her  loved  ones.  The  troubled  expression 
was  gone,  for  the  ranks  of  her  little  band  had  closed  up, 
and  all  were  about  her  in  one  more  brief  rest  in  the  forward 
and  uncertain  march  of  life.  She  seemed  looking  intently 
at  something  far  off, — something  better  discerned  by  the 
spiritual  than  by  the  natural  eye.  Disappointments  had 
been  bitter,  poverty  hard  and  grinding,  but  she  had  learned 
to  escape  into  a  large  world  that  was  fast  becoming  real  to 
her  strong  imagination.  While  her  husband  was  indulging 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  9 

in  chimerical  visions  of  boundless  prosperity  here  on  earth 
which  he  would  bring  to  pass  by  some  lucky  stroke  of  for 
tune  or  invention,  she  also  was  picturing  to  herself  grander 
things  which  God  would  realize  to  her  beyond  time  and 
earth.  When  alone,  in  moments  of  rest  from  incessant 
toil,  she  would  take  down  the  great  family  Bible,  and  with 
her  finger  on  some  description  of  the  "  new  heavens  and 
new  earth,"  as  the  connecting  link  between  the  promise 
and  her  strong  realization  of  it,  she  would  look  away  with 
that  intent  gaze.  ,  The  new  world,  purged  from  sin  and 
sorrow,  would  rise  before  her  with  more  than  Edenlike 
loveliness.  Her  spirit  would  revel  in  its  shadowy  walks 
and  sunny  glades,  and  as  the  crowning  joy  she  would  meet 
her  Lord  and  Saviour  in  some  secluded  place,  and  sit  listen 
ing  at  His  feet  like  Mary  of  old.  Thus,  in  the  strong  illu 
sion  of  her  imagination,  Christ's  words  seemed  addressed 
directly  to  her,  while  she  looked  up  into  His  face  with  rapt 
attention.  Instead  of  reading  her  Lord's  familiar  sayings, 
she  seemed  to  listen  to  them  as  did  the  early  disciples. 
After  a  little  time  she  would  close  the  Bible  and  go  back 
to  her  hard  practical  life,  awed  yet  strengthened,  and  with 
a  hopeful  expression,  like  that  which  must  have  rested  on 
the  disciples'  faces  on  coming  down  from  the  Mount  of/ 
Transfiguration, 


CHAPTER  II. 

LOVE   KNOWN. 

HOUR  after  hour  passed.  The  storm  was  dying  away, 
and  at  times,  through  broken  rifts  in  the  clouds,  stars  would 
gleam,  out.  Instead  of  the  continued  roar  and  rush,  the 
wind  blew  in  gusts  at  longer  intervals,  and  nature  seemed 
like  a  passionate  child  that  had  cried  itself  to  sleep.  The 


10  BARRIERS  B  URNED  A  WA  Y. 

fitful  blasts  were  the  involuntary  sobs  that  heave  the  breast, 
till  at  last  quiet  and  peace  take  the  place  of  stormy  anger. 

It  seemed  as  if  the  silent  watcher  never  could  withdraw 
her  gaze  from  the  beautiful  world  of  her  vision.  Never 
had  it  seemed  so  near  and  real  before,  and  she  was  uncon 
scious  of  the  lapse  of  time.  Suddenly  she  heard  her  name 
called,— "  Ethel  !" 

If  the  voice  had  come  from  the  imaginary  world  present 
to  her  fancy,  it  could  not  have  startled  her  more  for  a  mo 
ment.  Then  she  realized  that  it  was  her  husband  who 
spoke.  He  had  called  her  name  in  his  sleep,  and  yet  it 
seemed  a  call  of  God.  At  once  it  flashed  through  her 
mind  that  in  dreaming  of  a  glorious  and  happy  future  she 
was  forgetting  him  and  his  need. 

She  turned  the  light  upon  his  face.  Never  had  he  looked 
so  pale  and  wan,  and  she  realized  that  he  might  be  near  his 
end.  In  an  agony  of  self-reproach  and  yearning  tenderness 
she  knelt  at  his  bedside  and  praved  as  she  never  had  prayed 
before.  (  Could  he  go  home  ?  Could  he  be  received,  feeling 
toward  liis  Father  as  he  did  ?  He  had  talked  of  forgiving, 
when  he  stood  so  sorely  in  need  of  Christ's  forgiveness  ; 
and  she  had  been  forgetting  that  need,  when  every  moment 
might  involve  her  husband's  salvation.  Out  of  his  sleep 
he  had  called  her  to  his  help.  Perhaps  God  had  used  his 
unconscious  lips  to  summon  her.  With  a  faith  naturally 
strong,  but  greatly  increased  by  the  vision  of  the  night,  she 
went,  as  it  were,  directly  into  the  presence  of  her  Lord,  and 
entreated  in  behalf  of  her  husband. 

As  she  thus  knelt  at  the  bedside,  with  her  face  buried  in 
the  covering,  she  felt  a  h  ;ml  placed  softly  on  her  head,  and 
again  her  husband's  voice  called,  "  Ethel  !" 

She  looked  up  and  saw  that  he  was  awake  now,  his  eyes 
^fixed  on  her  with  an  expression  of  softness  and  tenderness 
that  she  had  not  seen  for  many  a  long  day.  The  old  rest 
less,  anxious  light  had  gone. 

"  What  were  you  doing,  Ethel  ?"  he  asked. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  11 

"  Praying  that  vou  might  see  that  God  loved  you, — that 
you  .might  be  reconciled  to  Him." 

Two  great  tears  gathered  in  the  man's  eyes.  His  lips 
quivered  a  moment,  then  he  said,  brokenly,  "  Surely  God 
must  love  me,  or  He  would  never  have  given  me— a  wife — 
who  would  watch  and  pray  for  me — the  long  whiter  night." 

"  O  Dennis,  forgive  me  ;  I  cannot  deceive  you  ;  for  a 
time  I  forgot  you,  I  forgot  everything,  and  just  wandered 
through  Paradise  alone.  But  in  your  sleep  you  called  me 
to  your  help,  and  now  it  seems  as  if  I  could  not  be  happy 
even  there  without  you.  I  pray  you,  in  Christ's  stead,  be 
reconciled  to  God,"  she  pleaded,  falling  into  the  familiar 
language  of  Scripture,  as  she  often  did  under  strong  emo 
tion.  Then,  inlow,  thrilling  words,  she  portrayed  to  him  the 
'  new  earth"  of  her  vision,  wherein  "  God  shall  wipe  away 

1  tears,  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow 
nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  anymore  pain."  She 
showed  him  that  all  might  slill  be  well, — that  eternity  was 
long  enough  to  make  up  for  the  ills  of  our  brief  troubled 
life  here.  But  his  mind  seemed  preoccupied.  These  future 
joys  did  riot  take  that  hold  upon  him  that  she  earnestly  de 
sired.  Mis  eyes  seemed  to  grow  dim  in  tender,  tearful  wist- 
fulness,  rather  than  become  inspired  with  immortal  hopes. 
At  last  he  spoke  : — 

"  Ethel,  it  seemed  as  if  I  heard  some  one  calling  me.  I 
woke  up— and  there  you—were  praying — for  me.  I  heard 
my  name, — I  heard  God's  name, — and  I  knew  that  you 
were  interceding  for  me.  It  seemed  to  break  my  hard 
heart  right  up  like  the  fountains  of  the  great  deep  to  see 
you  there, — praying  for  me, — in  the  cold,  cold  room." 
(The  room  was  not  cold  ;  it  was  not  the  winter's  chill  that 
he  was  feeling,  but  a  chill  that  comes  over  the  heart  even 
in  the  tropical  summer.)  "  Then,  as  you  prayed,  a  great 
light  seemed  to  shine  into  my  soul.  I  saw  that  I  had  been 
.-  charging  God  unjustly  with  all  my  failures  and  misfortunes, 
when  T  had  to  thank  myself  for  them.  Like  a  wilful  child, 

" 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

I  had  been  acting  as  if  God  had  but  to  carry  out  my  wild 
schemes.  I  remembered  all  my  unreasonable  murmurings 
and  anger  ;  I  remembered  the  dreadful  words  I  was  on  the 
point  of  uttering  to-night,  and  for  a  moment  it  seemed  as 
if  the  pit  would  open  and  swallow  me  up." 

He  paused  for  breath,  and  then  went  on  : — 

"  But  as  my  despairing  eyes  glanced  restlessly  around, 
they  fell  upon  the  face  of  my  son,  noble  and  beautiful  even 
in  sleep,  and  I  remembered  how  God  had  brougnt  him  safe 
ly  back.  Then  your  low,  pleading  tone  fixed  my  attention 
again.  It  seemed  to  me  that  God's  love  must  be  better  and 
stronger  than  human  love,  and  yet  you  had  loved^me 
through  all  my  folly  and  weakness  ;  so  perhaps  had  He. 
Then  I  felt  that  such  a  prayer  as  you  were  offering  could 
not  remain  unheard,  you  seemed  to  pray  so  earnestly.  I 
felt  that  I  ought  to  pray  myself,  and  I  commenced  calling 
out  in  my  heart,  '  God  be  merciful  to  me— a  sinner. '  Then, 
while  I  prayed,  I  seemed  to  see  my  Saviour's  face  right 
above  your  bowed  head.  Oh,  how  reproachfully  He  looked 
at  "me  !  and  yet  His  expression  was  full  of  love,  too.  It 
was  just  such  a  look,  I  think,  that  He  fixed  on  Peter  when 
-  he  denied  Him.  Then  it  seemed  that  I  fell  down  at  His  feet 
and  wept  bitterly,  and  as  I  did  so  the  look  of  reproach 
passed  away,  and  only  an  expression  of  love -and  forgive 
ness  remained.  A  sudden  peace  came  into  my  soul  which 
I  cannot  describe  ;  a  rush  of  tears  into  my  eyes  ;  and  when 
I  had  wiped  them  away,  I  saw  only  your  bowed  form  pray, 
ing, — praying  on  for  me.  And  Ethel,  dear,  my  patient, 
much-enduring  wife,  I  believe  God  has  answered  your 
prayer.  I  feel  that  I  am  a  new  man." 

"  God  be  praised  !"  exclaimed  his  wife,  with  streaming 

eyes.     Then  in  a  sudden  rush  of  tenderness  she  clasped  her 

husband  to  her  heart,  her  strong  love  seeming  like  the  echo 

of  God's  love,  the  earnest  here  on  earth  of  that  above, 

^where  all  barriers  shall  pass  away. 

The  sound  of  their  voices  toward  the  last  had  awakened 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  13 

their  son,  and  he  now  stood  beside  them  with  wet  eyes  and 
heaving  breast. 

When  the  wife  rose  from  her  embrace,  she  saw  that  her 
husband  was  very  weak.  For  a  few  moments  he  gasped 
for  breath.  Then,  getting  a  little  easier,  he  looked  up  and 
saw  his  son,  and  exclaimed:  "Thank  God— my  boy,— 
thank  God — you  are  here.  Ah,  my  son, — 1  have  learned 
much — since  we  spoke  together  last.  I  have  seen  that — I 
have  much  more — need  of  forgiveness  than — to  forgive. 
Thanks  to  your— mother's  prayers,— I  believe,— I  feel  sure 
that  I  am  forgiven." 

"More  thanks  to  God's  love,  Dennis,"  said  his  wife. 
"  God  wanted  to  forgive  you  all  the  time  more  than  we 
wanted  Him  to.  Thank  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for 
His  greaj_loye  wherewith  He  loved  us.  He  is  longsuffering 
to  usward,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish." 

' '  Those  are  sweet  words,  wife,  and  I  have  found  them 
true." 

For  a  little  time  they  sat  with  clasped  hands,  their  hearts 
too  full  to  speak..  Faint  streaks  along  the  eastern  horizon 
showed  that  the  dawn  was  near.  The  sick  man  gave  a 
slight  shiver,  and  passed  his  hands  across  his  eyes  as  if  to 
clear  away  a  mist,  and  then  said,  feebly  :  "  Dennis,  my 
son, — won't  you  turn  up  the  lamp  a  little — and  fix  the  fire  ? 
The  room  seems  getting  so  cold — and  dark." 

The  wife  looked  at  her  son  in  quick  alarm.  The  stove 
was  red-hot,  and  the  lamp,  no  longer  shaded,  stood  openly 
on  the  table. 

The  son  saw  that  he  must  take  the  lead  in  the  last  sad 
scene,  for  in  the  presence  of  death  the  heart  of  the  loving, 
constant  woman  clung  to  her  husband  as  never  before. 
Throwing  herself  on  her  knees  by  his  side,  she  cried  with 
loud,  choking  sobs,  "  O  Dennis,— husband, — I  fear— you 
are  leaving  me  !" 

"  Is  this  death  ?"  he  asked  of  his  son,  in  an  awed  tone. 

"  I  fear  it  is.  father,"  said  the  young  man,  gently. 


14  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

After  a  moment  [his  father  said,  composedly  :  "  I  think 
you  are  right.  I  feel  that— my  end  is  near,  Ethel, — dar 
ling, — for  my  sake — try  to  be  calm — during  the  last  few 
moments  I  am  with  you." 

A  few  stifled  sobs  and  the  room  was  still. 

"I  have  but  little  time  to — put  my  house — in  order, — 
and  if  I  had  months— I  could  not  do  it.  Dennis,  I  leave 
you — little  else — than  debts, — embarrassments,  and  the 
record  of  many  failures.  You  must  do — the  best  you  can. 
I  am  not  able  to  advise  you.  Only  never  love  this  world 
as_l  have.  It  will  disappoint  youT  ~SnS^"whatever  happens, 
never  lone  faith  in,  the  goodness  of  God.  This  has  been  my 
bane.  It  has  poisoned  my  life  here,  and,  had  it  not  been 
for  this  dear  wife,  it  would  have  been  my  destruction  here 
after.  For  long  years — only  her  patient  love — has  stood 
between  me  and  a  miserable  end.  Next  to  God— I  commit 
her  and  your  little  sisters  to  your  care.  Be  true  to  this 
most  sacred  trust. 

"  Ethel,  dear,  my  more  than  wife, — my  good  angel, — 
what  shall  I  say  to  you  ?"  and  the  man's  lip  quivered,  and 
for  a  time  he  could  say  no  more.  But  an  unwonted  com 
posure  had  come  into  his  wife's  manner.  The  eyes  were 
gaining  that  intent  look  which  was  their  expression  when 
picturing  to  herself  scenes  in  the  life  beyond. 

"  O  Dennis,  we  seem  just  on  the  confines  of  a  glorious 
world,— it  is  so  near,  so  real, — it  seems  as  if  but  a  step 
would  take  us  all  into  it.  Oh  !  if  you  could  but  see  its 
beauties,  its  glories,— if  you  could  hear  the  music,  you 
would  not  fear  to  enter.  It  seems  as  if  we  were  there 
together  now." 

"O  Ethel,  come  back,  come  back,"  cried  her  husband, 

iteously.  "  I  am  not  worthy  of  all  that.  I  have  no  heart 
lor  glory  now.  I  can  see  only  my  Saviour's  face  looking — 
at  me — with  love  and  forgiveness.  That  is  heaven  enough 
for  me, — and  when  you  come — my  cup  will  be  more  than 
full.  And  now — farewell — for  a  little  while." 


*"*  d  &&&  #  £*.    .    5"rfiV**A  £ 

BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  1"> 

For  a  few  moments  they  clung  to  each  other.  Then  the 
little  girls  were  brought,  and  their  father  pressed  his  cold 
lips  to  their  warm,  fresh  young  faces.  They  wondered  at 
a  scene  they  could  not  understand,  and  were  tearful  be 
cause  of  the  tears  of  others. 

He  was  now  going  very  fast.  Suddenly  he  turned  to  his 
son  and  said,  "  Dennis,  repeat  to  me  that  verse  "  This  is  a 
faithful  saying — '  " 

With  a  voice  hoarse  and  broken  by  emation,  his  son  com 
plied  :  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  ac 
ceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners." 

"  Oi  whom  I  am  chief,"  sai-.l  his  father,  emphatically. 
"  And  yet," — his  face  lighting  up  with  a  wran  smile,  like  a 
sudden  ray  of  light  falling  on  a  clouded  landscape  before 
the  sun  sinks  below  the  horizon, — "  and  yet  forgiven." 

By  and  by  he  again  whispered,  "  Forgiven  !" 

Then  his  eyes  closed,  and  all  was  still.  They  thought 
he  was  gone.  But  as  they  stood  over  him  in  awed,  breath 
less  silence,  his  lips  again  moved.  Bending  down,  they 
heard  in  faint,  far-away  tones,  like  an  echo  from  the  other 
side,  '*  Forgiven/" 


CHAPTER  III. 


LAUNCHED. 


SCARCELY  was  the  last  word  spoken  when  a  sudden  glory 
filled  the  room.  So  brilliant  was  the  light  that  mother  and 
BoSTwere  startled.  Then  they  saw  what  had  been  unnoted 
before,  that  day  harl  broken,  and  that  the  sun,  emerging 
from  a  single  dark  cloud,  was  shining,  full-orbed,  into  the 
apartment  with  a  light  that,  reflected  from  myriads  of 
snowy  crystals,  was  doubly  luminous.  Nevertheless  it 
seemed  to  them  a  good  omen,  an  earnest,  an  emblem  of  the 


16  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

purer,  whiter  light  into  which  the  cleansed  and  pardoned 
spirit  had  entered.  The  snow-wrapped  prairie  was  indeed 
pure  and  bright,  but  it  was  cold.  The  Father's  embrace T 
receiving  home  the  long-absent,  erring,  but  forgiven  child, 
would  be  warm  indeed. 

Though  the  bereaved  wife  believed  that  a  brighter  dawn 
than  that  which  made  the  world  resplendent  around  her 
had  come  to  her  husband,  still  a  sense  of  desolation  came 
over  her  which  only  those  can  understand  who  have  known 
a  loss  like  hers.  For  years  he  had  filled  the  greater  part  of 
time,  thought,  and  heart.  As  she  saw  her  first  and  only 
love,  the  companion  of  a  life  which,  though  hard,  still  had 
the  light  and  solace  of  mutual  affection, — as  she  saw  him 
so  still,  and  realized  that  she  would  hear  him  speak  no 
more, — complain  no  more  (for  even  the  weaknesses  of  those 
we  love  are  sadly  missed  after  death), — a  flood  of  that  natu 
ral  sorrow  which  Christianity  consoles,  but  was  never  de 
signed  to  prevent,  overwhelmed  her,  and  she  gave  way 
utterly. 

Her  son  took  her  in  his  arms  and  held  her  silently,  believ 
ing  that  unspoken  sympathy  was  worth  more  at  such  a 
time  than  any  words. 

After  the  convulsive  sobbing  had  somewhat  ceased,  he 
struck  the  right  chord  by  saying  :  "  Mother,  father  is  not 
lost  to  us.  He  himself  said  good-by  only  for  a  little  while . 
Then  you  have  us  to  love  and  think  of  ;  and  remember, 
what  could  we  do  without  you  ?" 

The  unselfish  woman  would  have  tried  to  rise  from  a  bed 
of  death  to  do  anything  needed  by  her  loved  ones,  and  this 
reminder  of  those  still  dependent  on  her  care  proved  the 
most  potent  of  restoratives.  She  at  once  arose  and  said  : 
"  Dennis,  you  are  right.  It  is  indeed  wrong  for  me  to  give 
way  thus,  when  I  have  so  much  to  be  thankful  for, — so 
much  to  live  for.  But,  O  Dennis  !  you  cannot  understand 
this  separation  of  husband  and  wife,  for  God  said,  '  They 
twain  shall  be  one  flesh  ;  '  and  it  seems  as  if  half  my  ver}T 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  17 

life  had  gone, — as  if  half  my  heart  had  been  wrenched  away, 
and  only  a  bleeding  fragment  left." 

The  patter  of  feet  was  heard  on  the  kitchen  floor,  the 
door  opened,  and  two  little  figures  in  white  trailing  night 
gowns  entered.  At  first  they  looked  in  shy  wonder  and 
perplexity  at  their  tall  brother,  whom  they  had  not  seen 
for  months,  but  at  his  familiar  voice,  recalling  many  a  romp 
and  merry  time  together,  they  rushed  to  his  arms  as  of  old. 

Then  they  drew  near  the  bed  to  give  their  father  his  ac 
customed  morning  kiss  ;  but,  as  they  approached,  he  seemed 
so  still  that  awe  began  to  creep  over  their  little  faces.  A 
dim  recollection  of  the  farewell  kiss  gi^en  a  few  hours  be 
fore,  when  they  were  scarcely  awake,  recurred  to  them. 

"  Father,"  said  the  elder  (about  five),  "  we  want  to  give 
you  good -morning  kiss." 

Seldom  had  their  father  been  so  sick  or  irritable  but  that 
he  reached  out  his  arms  to  his  little  ones  and  gave  them  a 
warm  embrace,  that  did  him  more  good  than  he  realized. 
The  influence  of  trusting  children  is  sometimes  the  most 
subtle  oil  that  can  be  thrown  on  the  troubled  waters  of 
life. 

But  as  the  little  ones  saw  that  their  father  made  no  re 
sponse  to  their  approach  and  appeal,  they  timidly  drew  a 
step  nearer,  and  looked  into  his  wasted,  yet  peaceful  face, 
with  its  closed  eyes  and  motionless  repose,  and  then,  turn 
ing  to  their  mother,  said  in  a  loud  whisper,  with  faces  full 
of  perplexity  and  trouble,  "  Is  papa  asleep  ?" 

The  little  figures  in  their  white  drapery,  standing  be 
side  their  dead  father,  waiting  to  perform  the  usual,  well- 
remembered  household  rite,  proved  a  scene  too  touching 
for  the  poor  mother's  self-control,  and  again  she  gave  way 
to  a  burst  of  sorrow.  But  her  son,  true  to  his  resolution  to 
be  the  stay  and  strength  of  the  family,  hastened  to  the  chil 
dren,  and,  taking  them  by  the  hand,  said,  gently  :  "  Yes, 
little  ones,  papa  is  asleep.  It  may  be  a  long  time  before  he 
wakes,  but  he  surely  will  by  and  by,  and  then  he  will  never 


18  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

be  sick  any  more.     Come,  we  will  go  into  the  other  room 
and  sing  a  pretty  hymn  about  papa's  sieep." 

The  thought  of  hearing  their  brother  sing  lured  them 
away  at  once,  for  he  had  a  mellow  tenor  voice  that  seemed 
to  the  little  girls  sweeter  than  a  bird's.  A  moment  later 
the  widow's  heart  was  comforted  by  hearing  those  words 
that  have  been  balm  for  so  many  wounds  : — 

"  Asleep  in  Jesus  !  blessed  sleep  ! 
From  which  none  ever  wakes  to  weep.'* 

Then,  putting  on  his  sisters'  flannel  wrappers,  he  set  them 
down  by  the  fire,  telling  stories  in  the  mean  time  to  divert 
their  thoughts  from  the  scene  they  had  just  witnessed. 

Thus  no  horror  of  death  was  suffered  to  enter  their  young 
minds.  They  were  not  brought  face  to  face  with  a  dread 
ful  mystery  which  they  could  not  understand,  but  which 
would  have  a  sinister  effect  for  life.  Gradually  they  would 
learn  the  truth,  but  still  the  first  impression  would  remain, 
and  their  father's  death  would  ever  be  to  them  a  sleep  from 
which  he  would  wake  by  and  by,  "  never  to  be  sick  any 
more." 

Dennis  set  about  preparations  for  their  simple  morning 
meal  so  deftly  and  easily  as  to  show  that  it  was  no  unaccus 
tomed  task.  A  sister  older  than  himself  had  died  while  yet 
an  infant,  leaving  a  heartache  till  he  came,— God's  best 
remedv.  Then  two  sisters  had  died  after  his  day,  and  he 
had  been  compelled  to  be  to  his  mother  daughter  as  well  as 
son,  to  make  himself  useful  in  every  household  task.  His 
father  had  been  wrapped  up  in  useless  inventions,  vain  en 
terprises,  and  was  much  away.  So  mother  and  SOLI  were 
constantly  together.  He  had  early  become  a  great  comfort 
and  help  to  her,  Gocl  ble-sing  her  in  this  vital  respect, 
though  her  lot  seemed  hard  in  other  ways.  Thus,  while 
he  had  the  heart  and  courage  of  a  man,  he  also  had  the 
quick,  supple  hand  and  gentle  bearing  of  a  woman,  when 
occasion  required.  As  proof  of  his  skill,  a  tempting  meal 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  19 

from  the  simplest  materials  was  placed  smoking  on  the 
table,  and  the  little  girls  were  soon  chatting  contentedly 
over  their  breakfast.  In  the  mean  time  the  wife  -within 
had  drawn  near  her  dead  husband  and  taken  his  cold  hand. 
For  a  while  she  dwelt  on  the  past  in  strong  and  tearful 
agony,  then,  in  accordance  with  long-established  habit,  her 
thoughts  went  forward  into  the  future.  In  imagination 
she  was  present  at  her  husband''s  reception  in  heaven.  The 
narrow,  meagre  room  melted  away,  and  her  feet  seemed  to 
stand  on  the  "  golden  pavement."  The  jubilant  clash  of 
heavenly  cymbals  thrilled  her  heart.  She  seemed  taking 
part  in  a  triumphal  march  led  by  celestial  minstrelsy  toward 
the  throne.  She  saw  her  husband  mount  its  white,  glisten 
ing  steps,  so  changed,  and  yet  so  like  his  former  self  when 
full  of  love,  youth,  and  hope.  He  appeared  overwhelmed 
with  a  sense  of  unworthiness,  but  his  reception  was  all  the 
more  kind  and  reassuring.  Then  as  he  departed  from  the 
royal  presence,  crowned  with  God's  love  and  favor  forever, 
though  he  had  all  heaven  before  him.  he  seemed  looking 
for  her  as  that  he  longed  for  most,  and  her  strong  effort  to 
reach  his  side  aroused  her  from  her  revery  as  from  a  dream. 
But  her  vision  had  strengthened  her,  as  was  ever  the  case, 
and  the  bitterness  of  grief  was  passed.  Imprinting  a  long 
kiss  on  her  husband's  cold  forehead,  she  joined  her  family 
in  the  outer  room  with  calm  and  quiet  mien.  Her  son  saw 
and  understood  the  change  in  his  mother's  manner,  and 
from  long  experience  knew  Us  cause. 

We  need  not  dwell  on  what  followed, — preparations  for 
burial,  the  funeral,  the  return  to  a  home  from  which  one 
who  had  filled  so  large  a  place  had  gone, — a  home  on  which 
rested  the  shadow  of  death.  These  are  old,  familiar  scenes, 
acted  over  and  over  every  day,  and  yet  in  the  little  house 
holds  where  they  occur  there  is  a  terrible  sense  of  novelty 
as  if  they  then  happened  for  the  first  time.  The  family  feel 
as  if  they  were  passing  through  a  chaotic  period, — the  old 
world  breaking  up  and  vanishing,  and  a  new  formation 


20  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

and  combination  of  all  the  elements  that  make  up  life  tak« 
ing  place. 

Many  changes  followed.  Their  farm  was  sold.  Part  of 
a  small  house  in  the  village  of  Bankville  was  rented  as 
their  future  residence.  A  very  small  annuity  from  some 
property  in  the  East,  left  by  Mrs.  Fleet's  father,  was,  with 
Dennis's  labor,  all  the  family  had  to  depend  on  now, — a 
meagre  prospect. 

But  Dennis  was  very  sanguine  ;  for  in  this  respect  he 
had  his  father's  temperament.  The  world  was  all  before 
him,  and  Chicago,  the  young  and  giant  city  of  the  West, 
seemed  an  Eldorado,  where  fortune,  and  perhaps  fame, 
might  soon  be  won.  He  would  not  only  place  the  family 
beyond  want,  but  surround  them  with  every  luxury. 

Dennis,  wise  and  apt  as  far  as  his  knowledge  went,  was 
'  •  in  some  respects  as  simple  and  ignorant  as  a  child.  There 
were  many  phases  and  conditions  of  society  of  which  he 
tjad  never  dreamed.  Of  the  ways  of  the  rich  and  fashion- 
able,  of  the  character  of  artificial  life,  he  had  not  the  re 
motest  experience.  He  could  not  see  or  understand  the 
'  distinctions  and  barriers  that  to  the  world  are  more  im 
passable  than  those  of  ignorance,  stupidity,  and  even  gross 
immorality.  He  would  learn,  to  his  infinite  surprise,  that 
jeven  in  a  Western  democratic  city  men  would  be  welcomed 
Jin  society  whose  hand  no  pure  woman  or  honorable  man 
ought  to  touch,  while  he,  a  gentleman  by  birth,  education, 
and  especially  character,  would  not  be  recognized  at  all. 
He  would  discover  that  wealth  and  the  indorsement  of  a 
few  fashionable  people,  though  all  else  were  lacking,  would 
be  a  better  passport  than  the  noblest  qualities  and  fine  abili 
ties.  As  we  follow  him  from  the  seclusion  of  his  simple 
country  home  into  the  complicated  life  of  the  world,  all 
this  will  become  apparent. 

Long  and  earnest  was  the  conversation  between  mother 
and  son  before  they  separated.  Pure  and  noble  were  the 
maxims  that  she  sought  to  instil  into  his  mind.  They  ma>> 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  21 

not  have  been  worldly  wise,  but  they  were  heavenly  wise. 
Though,  some  of  her  advice  in  the  letter  might  avail  little, 
since  she  knew  less  of  the  world  than  did  her  son,  still  in 
its  spirit  it  contained  the  best  of  all  wisdom,  profitable  for 
tnis  life  and  the  life  to  come.  But  she  sent  him  forth  to 
seek  his  fortune  and  theirs  with  less  solicitude  than  most 
mothers  have  just  cause  to  feel,  for  she  knew  that  he  had 
Christian  principle,  and  had  passed  through  a  discipline 
t^aTliad  sobered  and  matured  him  far  beyond  his  years. 
She  saw,  however,  in  every  word  and  act  his  father's  san 
guine  temperament.  He  was  expecting  much,  hoping  far 
more,  and  she  feared  that  he  also  was  destined  to  many  a 
bitter  disappointment.  Still  she  believed  that  he  possessed 
a  good  strong  substratum  of  common-sense,  and  this  com 
bined  with  the  lessons  of  faith  and  patience  taught  of  God 
would  prove  the  ballast  his  father  had  lacked. 

She  sought  to  modify  his  towering  hopes  and  rose-colored 
visions,  but  to  little  purpose.  Young,  buoyant,  in  splendid 
health,  with  a  surplus  of  warm  blood  tingling  in  every 
vein,  how  could  he  take  a  prudent,  distrustful  view  of  the 
world  ?  It  seemed  to  beckon  him  smilingly  into  any  path 
of  success  he  might  choose.  Had  not  many  won  the  vic 
tory  ?  and  who  ever  felt  braver  and  more  determined  than 
he,  with  the  needs  of  the  dear  ones  at  home  added  to  his 
own  incentives  and  ambitions  ?  So,  with  many  embraces, 
lingering  kisses,  and  farewell  words,  that  lost  not  their 
meaning  though  said  over  and  over  again,  they  parted. 
The  stage  carried  him  to  the  nearest  railway  station,  and 
the  express  train  bore  him  rapidly  toward  the  great  city 
where  he  expected  to  find  all  that  a  man's  heart  most  craves 
on  earth. 

Sanguine  as  his  father,  constant  as  his  mother,  with  a 
nature  that  would  go  right  or  wrong  with  tremendous 
energy,  as  direction  might  be  given  it,  he  was  destined  to 
live  no  tame,  colorless  life,  but  would  either  enjoy  much, 
or  else  suffer  much.  To  his  young  heart,  swelling  with 


22  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

hopes,  burning  with  zeal  to  distinguish  himself  and  pro 
vide  for  those  he  was  leaving,  even  the  bleak,  snow-clad 
prairie  seemed  an  arena  in  which  he  might  accomplish  a 
vague  something 


CHAPTER  IV. 

COLD   WATER. 

THE  train,  somewhat  impeded  by  snow,  landed  Dennis 
in  Chicago  at  about  nine  in  the  evening.  In  his  pocket  he 
had  ten  dollars, — ample  seed  corn,  he  believed,  for  a  golden 
harvest.  This  large  sum  was  expected  to  provide  for  him 
till  he  should  find  a  situation  and  receive  the  first  instal 
ment  of  salary.  He  would  inform  his  employer,  when  he 
found  him,  how  he  was  situated,  and  ask  to  be  paid  early 
and  often. 

Without  a  misgiving  he  shouldered  the  little  trunk  that 
contained  his  worldly  effects,  and  stalked  off  to  a  neighbor 
ing  hotel,  that,  from  its  small  proportions,  suggested  a 

fmodest  bill.     With  a  highly  important  man-of-the-world 

jmanner  he  scrawled  his  name  in  an  illegible,  student-like 
f  I  hand  on  the  dingy,  dog  eared  register.     With  a  gracious, 

j condescending  air    he  ordered  the  filthy,   tobacco-stained 

Sporter  to  take  his  trunk  to  his  room. 

The  barj-oom  was  the  only  place  provided  for  strangers. 
Regarding  the  bar  with  a  holy  horror,  he  got  away  from  it 

I  as  far  as  possible,  and  seated  himself  by  the  stove,  on  which 
*  \simmered  a  kettle  of  hot  water,  for  the  concoction  of 
punches,  apparently  more  in  demand  at  that  hotel  than 
beds.  Becoming  disgusted  with  the  profanity  and  obscen 
ity  downstairs,  he  sought  refuge  in  the  cold,  miserable  little 
room  assigned  to  him.  Putting  on  his  overcoat,  he  wrapped 
himself  up  in  a  coverlet  and  threw  himself  down  on  the 
outside  of  the  bed. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  23 

The  night  passed  slowly.  He  was  too  uncomfortable, 
too  excited,  to  sleep.  .  The  scenes  of  the  past  blended  con 
fusedly  with  visions  of  the  future,  and  it  was  nearly  morn 
ing  when  he  fell  into  an  unquiet  slumber. 

When  at  last  aroused  by  the  shriek  of  a  locomotive,  he 
found  that  the  sun  was  up  and  shining  on  the  blotched  and 
broken  wall  above  him.  A  few  minutes  sufficed  for  his 
toilet,  and  yet,  with  his  black  curling  hair,  noble  forehead, 
and  dark,  silken  upper  lip,  many  an  exquisite  would  have 
envied  the  result. 

His  plan  was  simple  enough, — dictated  indeed  by  the 
necessities  of  the  case.  He  must  at  once  find  a  situation  in 
which  he  could  earn  sufficient  to  support  his  mother  and 
sisters  and  himself.  Thence  he  could  look  around  till  he 
found  the  calling  that  promised  most.  Having  left  college 
and  given  up  his  chosen  profession  of  the  law,jiejiad  re 
solved  to  adopt  any  honest  pursuit  that  seemed  to  lead  most 
quickly  to  fortune. 

jTooTrnpatient  to  eat  his  breakfast,  he  sallied  forth  into 
the  great  city,  knowing  not  a  soul  in  it.  His  only  recom 
mendations  and  credentials  were  his  young,  honest  face, 
and  a  letter  from  his  minister,  saying  that  he  was  a  mem 
ber  of  the  church  inBankville,  "  in  good  and  regular  stand 
ing,"  and,  "as  far  as  he  knew,  a  most  worthy  young 
man," — rather  meagre  capital  amid  the  competitions  of  a 
large  city.  But,  with  courage  bold  and  high,  he  strode  off 
toward  the  business  part  of  the  town. 

As  he  passed  the  depot  it  occurred  to  him  that  an  open- 
ing  might  exist  there.  It  would  be  a  good  post  of  observa 
tion,  and  perhaps  he  would  be  able  to  slip  home  oftener. 
So  he  stopped  and  asked  the  man  in  the  ticket-office,  bland 
ly,  "  Do  you  wish  to  employ  a  young  man  in  connection 
with  this  depot  or  road  in  any  capacity  ?" 

The  ticket-man  stared  at  him  a  moment  through  his  win 
dow,  frowned,  and  curtly  said,  "No  I"  and  then  went  on 
counting  what  seemed  to  poor  Dennis  millions  of  money. 


24:  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

The  man  had  no  right  to  say  yes  or  no,  since  he  was  a  mere 
official,  occupying  his  own  little  niche,  with  no  authority 
beyond.  But  an  inveterate  feud  seemed  to  exist  between 
this  man  and  the  public.  He  acted  as  if  the  world  in  gen 
eral,  instead  of  any  one  in  particular,  had  greatly  wronged 
Mm.  It  might  be  a  meek  woman  with  a  baby,  or  a  bold, 
red-faced  drover,  a  delicately-gloved  or  horny  hand  that 
reached  him  the  change,  but  it  was  all  the  same.  He 
knitted  his  brows,  pursed  up  his  mouth,  and  dealt  with  all 
in  a  quick,  jerking  way,  as  if  lie  could  not  bear  the  sight 
/of  them,  and  wanted  to  be  rid  of  them  as  soon  as  possible. 
j  Still  these  seem  just  the  peculiarities  that  find  favor  with 
railroad  corporations,  and  the  inan  would  probably  vent  his 
spite  against  the  public  throughout  his  natural  life. 
~"Frora.  him,  however,  Dennis  received  his  first  dash  of 
cold  water,  which  he  minded  but  little,  and  went  on  his 
•way  with  a  good-natured  laugh  at  the  crusty  old  fellow. 

He  was  soon  in  the  business  part  of  the  city.  Applying 
at  a  large  dry-goods  store,  he  was  told  that  they  wanted  a 
cash  boy  ;  "but  he  would  not  do  ;  one  a  quarter  his  size 
would  answer." 

"  Then  I  will  go  where  they  want  the  other  three  fourths 
and  pay  accordingly,"  said  Dennis,  and  stalked  out. 

He  continued  applying  at  every  promising  place,  but  to 
no  purpose.  It  was  midwinter  ;  trade  was  dull ;  and  with 
clerks  idling  about  the  shops  employers  were  in  no  mood 
to  add  to  their  number. 

At  last  he  found  a  place  where  an  assistant  book-keeper 
was  wanted.  Dennis's  heart  leaped  within  him,  but  sunk 
again  as  he  remembered  how  little  he  knew  of  the  art. 
"  But  I  can  learn  quickly,"  he  thought  to  himself. 

The  man  looked  carelessly  at  his  poor  little  letter,  and 
then  said,  in  a  business-like  tone  '  Show  me  a  specimen  of 
your  handwriting." 

Poor  Dennis  had  never  written  a  good  hand,  but  at  col 
lege  had  learned  to  write  a  miserable  scrawl,  in  rapidly 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  25 

taking  notes  of  lectures.  Moreover,  lie  was  excited,  and 
could  not  do  himself  justice.  Even  from  his  sanguine  heart 
hope  ebbed  away  ;  but  he  took  the  pen  and  scratched  a  line 
or  two,  of  which  he  himself  was  ashamed.  The  man  looked 
at  them  with  an  expression  of  mild  disgust,  and  then  said, 
"  Mr.  Jones,  hand  me  your  ledger." 

The  head  book-keeper  passed  the  volume  to  his  employer, 
who  showed  Dennis  entries  looking  as  from  copperplate, 
and  quietly  remarked  :  "  The  young  man  we  employ  must 
write  like  that,  and  thoroughly  understand  book-keeping. 
Good-morning,  sir." 

Dennis  walked  out,  feeling  almost  as  crestfallen  as  if  he 
had  been  convicted  of  stealing,  but  the  noon-day  sun  was 
shining  in  the  sky,  the  streets  were  full  of  life  and  bustle, 
and  hope  revived. 

"  I  shall  find  the  right  niche  before  long,"  he  said  to 
himself,  and  trudged  on. 

Some  time  after  he  entered  a  retail  dry-goods  store. 

"  Yes,  they  wanted  a  young  man  there,  but  he  was  rather 
old." 

Still  as  the  merchant  saw  that  Dennis  was  fine-looking, 
would  appear  well  behind  the  counter,  and  make  a  taking 
salesman  with  the  ladies,  he  stopped  to  parley  a  moment 
more. 

"  Do  you  understand  the  business  ?" 

"No,  sir;  but  I  can  soon  learn,  for  I  am  young  and 
strong." 

"  Strength  is  not  what  is  needed,  but  experience.  Ours 
is  not  the  kind  of  work  for  Paddies." 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  Dennis,  rather  shortly,  "  I'm  not  a 
Paddy." 

The  dapper  little  retailer  frowned  slightly  at  Dennis's 
tone,  and  continued  :  "  You  spoke  as  if  main  strength  was 
the  principal  thing.  Have  you  had  any  experience  at  all  ?" 

"No,  sir." 

But  seeing  intelligence  in  the  young  man's  face,  and 


26  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

scenting  &  .sharp  bargain,  he  said,  "  Why,  then,  you  would 
have  to  begin  at  the  very  beginning,  and  learn  the  name  of 
everything,  its  quality,  etc." 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  but  I  would  do  my  very  best." 

"  Of  course,  of  course,  but  nothing  can  take  the  place  of 
experience.  I  expect,  under  the  circumstances,  you  would 
look  for  very  little  remuneration  the  first  year  ?" 

"  How  much  could  you  give  ?" 

The  man  named  a  sum  that  would  not  have  supported 
Dennis  alone. 

He  replied  that,  though  his  services  might  not  be  worth 
more  than  that,  he  was  so  situated  that  he  could  not  take  a 
very  small  salary. 

"  Then  bring  something  besides  ignorance  to  the  mar 
ket,"  said  the  man,  turning  on  his  heel. 

Dennis  was  now  hungry,  tired,  and  disappointed.  In 
deed  the  calls  of  appetite  became  so  clamorous  that  he 
sought  a  cheap  restaurant.  After  demolishing  a  huge  plate 
of  such  viands  as  could  be  had  at  little  cost,  he  sat  brood 
ing  over  a  cup  of  coffee  for  an  hour  or  more.  The  world 
wore  a  different  aspect  from  that  which  it  had  presented  in 
the  morning,  and  he  was  lost  in  a  sort  of  dull,  painful  won 
der. 

But  the  abundant  meal  and  slight  element  of  coffee  that 
colored  the  lukewarm  water  quite  heartened  him  again. 
He  resolved  to  go  back  to  his  hotel  and  find  a  more  quiet 
and  comfortable  place  in  which  to  lodge  until  something 
permanent  offered.  He  made  what  he  considered  sufficient 
inquiry  as  to  the  right  direction,  and  resolved  to  save  even 
the  car-fare  of  five  cents  by  walking  the  distance. 

But  whether  he  had  not  understood  the  directions  right 
ly,  or  whether,  brooding  over  the  events  of  the  day,  his 
mind  had  been  too  preoccupied  to  heed  them,  he  found  to 
his  great  disgust,  after  walking  two  or  three  miles,  that  he 
had  gone  away  from  his  destination  instead  of  toward  it. 
Angry  with  himself,  out  of  humor  with  all  the  world,  he 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 


27 


1 


began  to  give  way  to  the  latent  obstinacy  of  his  nature. 
Though  everything  went  "  contrairy,"  there  was  one  thing 
under  his  control,  —  himself,  —  and  he  would  make  that  do 
the  bidding  of  his  will. 

Turning  on  his  heel,  he  resolved  with  dogged  resolution 
to  walk  back  the  whole  distance.  He  would  teach  himself 
a  lesson.  It  was  fine  business,  just  when  he  needed  his 
wits  so  sorely,  to  commence  blundering  in  this  style.  No 
wonder  he  had  failed  during  the  day  ;  he  deserved  to  fail 
in  other  respects,  since  in  this  one  he  had  not  shown  the 
good  sense  of  a  child. 

When  people  are  "  out  of  sorts,"  and  things  are  going~~~\ 
wrong,  the  disposition  to  blame  somebody  or  something  is  I 
almost  universal.  But  we  think  that  it  will  be  found  a  safe  /  ,  / 
general  rule,  that  the  nobler  the  nature,  the  less  worthy  of 
blame,  the  greater  the  tendency  to  blame  self  rather  than 
an^tIimg""eTse.  Poor  Dennis  had  no  great  cause  for  bitter-/ 
s^Tr^rep'roaclies,  and  yet  he  plodded  on  with  an  intense  feel 
ing  of  self-disgust. 

To  think  that  after  New-England  schools  and  three  years 
hi  college  he  should  write  such  a  hand  and  have  no  definite 
knowledge  of  book-keeping  !  "  What  have  I  learned,  I'd 
like  to  know  ?"  he  muttered.  Then  to  go  and  lo.se  his  way 
like  a  country  bumpkin  !  and  he  gnawed  his  lips  with  vexa 
tion. 

The  street-cars  glided  often  and  invitingly  by,  but  he 
would  not  even  look  at  them. 

At  last,  foot-sore  and  fairly  aching  with  cold  and  fatigue, 
he  reached  the  little  hotel,  which  appeared  more  miserable, 
obscure,  and  profane  than  ever.  But  a.  tempting  fiend 
seemed  to  have  got  into  the  gin  and  whiskey  bottles  behind 
the  red-nosed  bartender.  To  his  morbid  fancy  and  eyes, 
half-blinded  with  wind  and  cold,  they  appeared  to  wink, 
beckon,  and  suggest:  "Drink  and  be  merry  ;  drink  and 
forget  your  troubles.  We  can  make  you  feel  as  rich  and 
glorious  as  a  prince,  in  ten  minutes." 


, 

28  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


For  the  first  time  in  his  life  Dennis  felt  a  strong  tempta 
tion  to  drink  for  the  sake  of  the  effects.  When  was  a  man 
ever  weak  that  the  devil  did  not  charge  down  upon  him  ? 

But  the  evil  and  ruin  wrought  in  one  case  proved  an 
other's  safeguard,  for  the  door  opened  and  a  miserable 
wreck  of  a  man  entered.  As  Dennis  looked  at  his  blotched, 
sodden  face,  trembling  hand,  shuffling  gait,  and  general  air 
of  wretchedness,  embodying  and  suggesting  the  worst  ills 
of  humanity,  he  decided  not  to  drink  for  the  sake  of  the 
effects. 

Then  came  another  rush  of  self-disgust  that  he  had  ever 
entertained  such  a  temptation,  and  he  flung  himself  off  sup- 
perless  to  bed. 

As  he  bowed  that  night  he  could  not  pray  as  usual.  For 
anger,  passion  with  one's  self,  as  well  as  with  any  one  else, 
renders  true  prayer  impossible.  But  he  went  through  the 
form,  and  then  wrapped  himself  up  as  before.  The  wearied 
body  soon  mastered  the  perturbed  mind,  and  he  fell  into  a 
heavy  sleep  that  lasted  till  morning. 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  HORNET'S  NEST. 

DENNIS  awoke  greatly  refreshed  and  strengthened.  For 
half  an  hour  he  lay  quietly  thinking  over  the  scenes  of  the 
preceding  day  ;  something  of  his  old  anger  returned,  but 
he  compressed  his  lips,  and,  with  a  face  ex  pressing  the  most 
resolute  purpose,  determined  that  the  day  before  him  should 
tell  a  different  story.  Every  faculty  and  energy  he  pos 
sessed  should  be  skilfully  bent  to  the  attainment  of  his  ob 
jects.  Wise  deliberation  should  precede  everything.  He 
would  write  a  few  lines  to  his  mother,  decide  as  to  a  lodg 
ing-place,  an  1  th"n  seek  better  success  in  another  part  of 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  29 

the  city.  He  went  to  the  bar  and  inquired  as  to  his  bill, 
and  found  that  so  far  as  bed  and  meals  were  concerned, 
such  as  they  were,  he  could  not  find  anything  cheaper  in 
the  city,  the  house  evidently  not  depending  on  these  for  its 
revenue.  Disgusted  as  he  was  with  his  surroundings,  he 
resolved  to  lose  no  time  in  looking  for  a  new  boarding- 
place,  but,  after  writing  to  his  mother,  to  start  off  at  once 
in  search  of  something  permanent.  He  was  in  no  mood  to 
consult  personal  wishes,  and  the  saving  of  time  and  money 
settled  the  question. 

Where  should  he  write  ?  There  was  no  place  save  a  desk 
at  the  end  of  the  bar.  Looking  askance  at  the  half -filled, 
villainous-smelling  bottle  at  his  elbow,  he  wrote  in  a  hand 
stiff  and  unnatural  (for  he  had  resolved  to  change  his  scrawl 
to  a  business  hand  at  once),  the  following  note  : — 

"  CHICAGO,  ILL.,  Jan.  10th. 

"DEAR  MOTHER:— I  arrived  safely,  and  am  very  well.  I  did 
not,  yesterday,  find  a  situation  suited  to  my  taste,  but  expect  better 
success  to-day.  I  am  just  on  the  point  of  starting  out  on  my  search, 
and  when  settled  will  write  you  full  particulars.  Many  kisses  for 
yourself  and  the  little  girls.  Your  affectionate  son,  DENNIS." 

"  There  !  there  is  nothing  in  that  to  worry  mother,  and 
soon  I  shall  have  good  news  for  her."  (If  he  had  seen  its 
reception,  he  would  have  learned  his  mistake.  The  intui 
tions  of  love  are -keen,  and  this  formal  negative  note  in  the 
constrained  hand  told  more  of  his  disappointment  than  any 
words  could  have  done.  While  he  knew  it  not,  his  mother 
was  suffering  with  him.  In  reply  she  wrote  a  letter  full  of 
general  sympathy,  intending  to  be  more  specific  when  he 
gave  her  his  confidence.) 

Dennis  folded  the  letter  most  carefully  and  mailed  it — for 
he  was  now  doing  the  least  thing  with  the  utmost  precision 
— with  the  air  of  one  who  meant  to  find  out  the  right  thing 
to  do,  and  then  to  do  it  to  a  hair's  breadth.  Nothing  should 
go  wrong  that  day.  So  at  an  early  hour  he  again  sallied 
forth. 


30  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Not  far  from  the  hotel  there  was  a  new  grocery  store 
about  to  be  opened  by  two  young  men,  formerly  clerks, 
but  now  setting  up  for  themselves.  They  stood  at  the  door 
receiving  a  cart-load  of  goods  as  Dennis  approached.  He 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  ask  at  every  opportunity,  and  to 
take  the  first  thing  that  promised  fairly  ;  he  would  also  be 
very  polite.  Touching  his  hat  to  the  young  men, — a  little 
act  pleasing  to  them  in  their  newly  acquired  dignity  as 
heads  of  a  firm  which  as  yet  had  no  subordinates, — Dennis 
asked  if  they  would  need  any  assistance.  Graciously  reply 
ing  to  his  salutations,  they  answered,  yes  ;  they  wanted  a 
young  man. 

Dennis  explained  that  he  was  from  the  country,  and 
showed  the  ministerial  letter.  The  young  grocers  looked 
wise  over  it,  seemed  pleased,  said  they  wanted  a  young  fel 
low  from  the  country,  that  was  not  up  to  citv  tricks. 
Chicago  was  a  hard  place  on  young  men, — spoiled  most  of 
them.  Glad  he  was  a  member  of  the  church.  They  were 
not,  but  believed  a  man  must  be  mighty  good  to  be  one. 
As  the  jroung  man  they  hired  must  sleep  in  the  store,  they 
wanted  one  they  could  trust,  and  would  prefer  a  church 
member. 

The  salary  they  offered  was  not  large,  but  pretty  fair  in 
view  of  his  having  so  much  to  learn,  and  it  was  intimated, 
that  if  business  was  good,  and  he  suited,  it  would  be  in 
creased.  The  point  uppermost  in  their  minds  was  to  find 
some  one  with  whom  they  could  trust  their  store  and  goods, 
and  this  young  man  from  the  country,  with  a  letter  from  a 
minister,  seemed  a  godsend. 

They  engaged  him,  but  just  as  he  was  starting,  with  heart 
swelling  with  self-satisfaction  and  joy,  one  of  the  firm 
asked,  carelessly,  "  Where  are  you  staying  ?" 

"At  Gavin's  Hotel." 

The  man  turned  sharply,  and  looked  most  suspiciously  at 
him,  and  then  at  his  partner,  who  gave  a  low  whistle  of 
surprise,  and  also  eyed  the  young  man  for  a  moment  ask 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAT.  31 

ance.  Then  the  men  stepped  aside,  and  there  was  a  brief 
whispered  consultation.  Dennis's  heart  sunk  within  him. 
He  saw  that  something  was  wrong,  but  what,  he  had  not 
the  least  idea.  The  elder  member  of  the  embryo  firm  now 
stepped  up  and  said,  decidedly,  "Good-morning,  young 
man  ;  we  shall  not  need  your  services." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  cried  Dennis,  in  a  voice  of  min 
gled  dismay  and  indignation. 

The  man's  face  was  growing  red  with  anger,  but  he  said, 
coldly,  "  You  had  better  move  on.  We  understand." 

"  But  /don't  understand,  and  your  course  toward  me  is 
most  unjust." 

"  Look  here,  young  man,  we  are  too  old  birds  to  be 
caught  by  any  such  light  chaff  as  you  have  about  you. 
You  are  a  pretty  church  member,  you  are  I  You  are  a 
smart  one,  you  are  ;  nice  boy,  just  from  the  country  ;  sup 
pose  you  do  not  know  that  Gavin's  Hotel  is  the  worst  gam 
bling  hole  in  the  city,  and  every  other  man  that  goes  there 
a  known  thief.  Come,  you  had  better  move  on  if  you  do 
not  want  to  get  into  trouble.  You  will  make  nothing 
here." 

"  But  I  tell  you,  gentlemen — "  cried  Dennis,  eagerly. 

"  Ton  may  tell  what  you  please.  We  tell  you  that  we 
would  not  believe  any  one  from  that  den  under  oath.  Now 
you  leave  !" 

The  last  words  were  loud  and  threatening.  The  atten 
tion  of  passers-by  was  drawn  toward  them,  and  Dennis  saw 
that  further  words  were  useless.  In  the  minds  of  shrewd 
but  narrow  business  men,  not  over-honest  themselves,  more 
acquainted  with  the  trickery  of  the  world  than  with  its  vir 
tues,  suspicion  against  any  one  is  fatal,  and  most  assuredly 
so  against  a  stranger  with  appearances  unfavorable. 

With  heart  well-nigh  bursting  with  anger,  disappoint 
ment,  and  shame,  Dennis  hastened  away.  He  had  been  re 
garded  as  a  thief,  or 'at  best  a  blackleg,  seeking  the  position 
for  some  sinister  purpose.  This  was  the  opening  scene  of 


33  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

the  day  on  which  he  had  determined  that  no  mistakes  should 
be  made,  and  here  at  the  outset  he  had  allowed  himself  to 
be  identified  with  a  place  of  notorious  ill-repute. 

Reaching  the  hotel,  he  rushed  upstairs,  got  his  trunk, 
and  then  turned  fiercely  on  the  red-nosed  bartender, — ' '  Why 
did  you  not  tell  me  the  character  of  this  place  ?" 

"  What  kind  of  a  place  is  it?"  asked  that  functionary, 
coolly,  arms  akimbo. 

"  You  know  well  enough.  You  knew  I  was  not  one  of 
your  sort." 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  this  is  a  bad  place,  do 
you  ?"  said  the  barkeeper,  in  mock  solemnity. 

"  Yes,  the  worst  in  Chicago.     There  is  your  money." 

"  Hold  on  here,  my  small  chicken  ;  there  is  some  money, 
but  not  enough  by  a  jugf uU  I  want  five  dollars  out  of  you 
before  you  take  that  trunk  off." 

"  Why,  this  is  sheer  robbery,"  exclaimed  Dennis. 

"  Oh,  no  ;  just  keeping  up  the  reputation  of  the  house. 
You  say  it  is  the  worst  in  Chicago  :  must  try  and  keep  up 
our  reputation. ' ' 

"Little  fear  of  that;  I  will  not  pay  it  ;"  and  Dennis 
started  for  his  trunk. 

"  Here,  let  that  trunk  alone  ;  and  if  yer  don't  give  me 
that  five  dollars  cussed  quick,  I'll  put  a  head  on  yer  ;"  and 
he  of  the  red  nose  put  his  hands  on  the  bar  in  readiness  to 
spring  over. 

"  I  say,  young  feller,"  said  a  good-natured  loafer  stand 
ing  by,  "  you  had  better  gin  him  the  five  dollars  ;  for  Bar 
ney  is  the  worst  one  in  all  Chicago  to  put  a  head  on  a  man." 

"And  will  you  stand  by  and  see  thi3  outrage?"  said 
Dennis,  appealing  to  him. 

"  O  gosh  !"  said  the  man,  "  I've  got  quarrels  'nough  of 
my  own  without  getting  my  head  broke  for  fellers  I  don't 
know." 

Dennis  was  almost  speechless  from  indignation.  Con 
scious  of  strength,  his  strong  impulse  for  a  moment  was  to 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  33 

• 

spring  at  the  throat  of  the  barkeeper  and  vent  his  rage  on 
him.  There  is  a  latent  tiger  in  every  man.  But  a  hand 
seemed  to  hold  him  back,  and  a  sober  second  thought  came 
over  him.  What !  Dennis  Fleet,  the  son  of  Ethel  Fleet, 
brawling,  fighting  in  a  bar-room,  a  gambling-den,  and 
going  out  to  seek  a  situation  that  required  confidence  and 
fair-appearing,  all  blackened,  bruised,  and  bleeding  !  As 
the  truth  flashed  upon  him  in  strong  revulsion  of  feeling 
he  fairly  turned  pale  and  sick. 

"  There's  the  money,"  said  he,  hoarsely,  "  and  God  for. 
give  you." 

In  a  moment  he  had  taken  his  trunk  and  was  gone.  The 
barkeeper  stared  after  him,  and  then  looked  at  the  money 
with  a  troubled  and  perplexed  face. 

*'  "Wai,"  said  he,  "  I'm  us0d  enough  to  havin'  folks  ask 
God  to  damn  me,  but  I'm  blessed  if  I  ever  had  one  ask 
Him  to  forgive  me,  before.  I  be  hanged,"  said  he,  after  a 
moment,  as  the  thought  grew  upon  him, — "  I  be  hanged  if 
I  wouldn't  give  him  back  the  money  if  he  hadn't  gone  so 
quick." 

With  heart  full  of  shame  and  bitterness,  Dennis  hastened 
down  the  street.  At  the  corner  he  met  a  policeman,  and 
told  him  his  story.  All  the  satisfaction  he  got  was,  "  You 
ought  not  to  go  to  such  a  place.  But  you're  lucky  if  they 
only  took  five  dollars  from  you  ;  they  don't  let  off  many 
as  easy  as  that." 

"  Can  I  have  no  redress  ?" 

*'  Now  look  here  ;  it's  a  pretty  ticklish  thing  to  interfere 
with  them  fellers.  It'll  cost  you  plaguey  sight  more'n 
that,  and  blood,  too,  like  enough.  If  you'll  take  my  ad 
vice,  you  won't  stir  up  that  hornet's  nest." 


34  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

• 

CHAPTER  VI. 
"STARVE  THEN  !" 

DENNIS  now  followed  the  natural  impulse  to  go  to  some 
distant  part  of  the  city,  entirely  away  from  the  region  that 
had  become  so  hateful  to  him.  Putting  the  trunk  on  the 
front  of  a  street-car,  he  rode  on  till  he  was  in  the  heart  of 
the  south-side  district,  the  great  business  centre.  He  took 
his  trunk  into  a  roomy  hardware  store,  and  asked  if  he 
might  leave  it  there  awhile.  Receiving  a  good-natured 
permission,  he  next  started  off  in  search  of  a  quiet,  cheap 
boar  ding- place.  His  heart  was  heavy,  and  yet  he  felt 
thankful  to  have  escaped  as  he  had,  for  the  thought  of 
what  might  have  been  his  experience  if  Barney  had  tried 
to  fulfil  his  threat  sickened  him.  The  rough  was  as  strong 
as  he,  and  scenes  of  violence  were  his  delight  and  daily  ex 
perience.  He  rather  gloried  in  a  black  eye,  for  he  always 
gave  two  in  exchange,  and  his  own  bruised,  swollen  mem 
ber  paved  the  way  gracefully  for  the  telling  of  his  exploits, 
as  it  awakened  inquiry  from  the  lesser  lights  among  whom 
he  shone.  But  what  would  Dennis  have  done  among  the 
merchants  with  "  a  head  on  him,"  as  the  barkeeper  under 
stood  the  phrase  ?  He  would  have  had  to  return  home, 
and  that  he  felt  would  be  worse  than  death.  In  fact,  he 
had  come  nearer  to  a  desperate  struggle  than  he  knew,  for 
Barney  rarely  resisted  so  inviting  an  opportunity  to  indulge 
his  pugilistic  turn,  and  had  he  not  seen  the  policeman  going 
by  just  at  that  time,  there  would  have  been  no  idle  threats 
in  the  case. 

Dennis  set  his  teeth  with  dogged  resolution,  determined, 
if  necessary,  to  persevere  in  his  search  till  he  dropped  in 
the  street.  But  as  he  remembered  that  he  had  less  than 
five  dollars  left,  and  no  prospect  of  earning  another,  his 
heart  grew  like  lead. 


BARRIERS  B  URNED^  A  WA  Y.  35 

He  spent  several  weary  hours  in  the  vain  search  for  a 
boarding-house.  He  had  little  to  guide  him  save  short  an 
swers  from  policemen.  The  places  were  either  too  expen 
sive,  or  so  coarse  and  low  that  he  could  not  bring  himself 
to  endure  them.  In  some  cases  he  detected  that  they  were 
accompanied  by  worse  evils  than  gambling.  Almost  in  de 
spair,  tired,  and  very  hungry  (for  severe  indeed  must  be 
the  troubles  that  will  affect  the 'appetite  of  healthful  youth 
on  a  cold  winter  day),  he  stopped  at  a  small  German  res 
taurant  and  hotel.  A  round-faced,  jolly  Teuton  served 
him  witfh  a  large  plate  of  cheap  viands,  which  he  devoured 
so  quickly  that  the  man,  when  asked  for  more,  stared  at 
him  for  a  moment,  and  then  stolidly  obeyed. 

"  What  do  you  ask  for  a  small  room  and  bed  for  a 
night?"  said  Dennis. 

"  Zwei  shillen,"  said  the  waiter,  with  a  grin  ;  "  dot  ish, 
if  you  don't  vant  as  pig  ped  as  dinner.  Ve  haf  zwei  shillen 
for  ped,  and  zwei  shillen  for  efery  meal, — von  dollar  a 
day, — sheap  !" 

The  place  was  comparatively  clean.  A  geranium  or  two 
bloomed  in  the  window,  and  lager  instead  of  fiery  whiskey 
seemed  the  principal  beverage  vended.  Dennis  went  out 
and  made  inquiries,  and  every  one  in  the  neighborhood 
spoke  of  it  as  a  quiet,  respectable  place,  though  frequented 
only  by  laboring  people.  "That  is  nothing  against  it," 
thought  Dennis.  "  I  will  venture  to  stay  there  for  a  night 
or  two,  for  I  must  lose  no  more  time  in  looking  for  a  situa 
tion." 

He  took  his  trunk  there,  and  then  spent  the  rest  of  the 
day  in  unavailing  search.  He  found  nothing  that  gave  any 
promise  at  all.  In  the  evening  he  went  to  a  large  hotel  and 
looked  over  the  files  of  papers.  He  found  a  few  advertise 
ments  for  clerks  and  experts  of  various  kinds,  but  more 
from  those  seeking  places.  But  he  noted  down  everything . 
hopeful,  and  resolved  that  he  would  examine  the  morning 
papers  by  daylight  for  anything  new  in  that  line,  and  be 


36  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

the  first  on  hand.  His  new  quarters,  though  plain  and 
meagre,  were  at  least  clean.  Too  weary  to  think  or  even 
to  feel  more  than  a  dull  ache  in  his  heart,  he  slept  heavily 
till  the  dawn  of  the  following  day.  Poor  fellow  !  it  seemed 
to  him  that  he  had  lived  years  in  those  two  days. 

He  was  up  by  daylight,  and  found  a  few  more  advertise 
ments  that  looked  as  if  they  might  lead  to  something.  As 
early  as  it  was  possible  to  see  the  parties,  he  was  on  the 
ground,  but  others  were  there  as  soon  as  himself.  They 
had  the  advantage  of  some  knowledge  and  experience  in 
the  duties  required,  and  this  decided  the  question.  Some 
spoke  kindly,  and  suggested  that  he  was  better  fitted  for 
teaching  than  for  business. 

"  But  'where  am  I  to  find  a  position  at  this  season  of  the 
year,,  when  every  place  is  filled?"  asked  Dennis.  "It 
might  be  weeks  before  I  could  get  anything  to  do,  and  I 
must  have  employment  at  once." 

They  were  sorry,  hoped  he  would  do  well,  turned  away, 
and  went  on  doing  well  for  themselves  ;  but  the  majority 
merely  satisfied  themselves  that  he  would  not  answer  their 
purpose,  and  bade  him  a  brief,  business-like  good-morning. 
And  yet  the  fine  young  face,  so  troubled  and  anxious, 
haunted  a  good  many  of  those  who  summarily  dismissed 
him.  But  "  business  is  business. " 

The  day  passed  in  fruitless  inquiry.  Now  and  then  he 
seemed  on  the  point  of  succeeding,  but  only  disappoint 
ment  resulted.  There  were  at  that  season  of  the  year  few 
situations  offering  where  a  salary  sufficient  for  maintenance 
was  paid,  and  for  these  skilled  laborers  were  required. 
Dennis  possessed  no  training  for  any  one  calling  save  per 
haps  that  of  teacher.  He  had  merely  the  fragment  of  a 
good  general  education,  tending  toward  one  of  the  learned 
professions.  He  had  fine  abilities,  and  undoubtedly  would 
in  time  have  stood  high  as  a  lawyer.  But  now  that  he  was 
suddenly  called  upon  to  provide  bread  for  himself  and  those 
he  loved,  there  was  not  a  single  thing  of  which  he  could 


BARRIERS  BURNED   AWAY.  37 

say,  "  I  understand  this,  sir,  and  can  give  you  satisfac 
tion." 

He  knew  that  if  he  could  get  a  chance  at  almost  any 
thing,  he  could  soon  learn  enough  to  make  himself  more 
useful  than  the  majority  employed,  for  few  had  his  will 
and  motive  to  work.  But  the  point  was  to  find  some  one 
who  would  pay  sufficient  for  his  own  and  his  mother's  sup 
port  while  he  learned. 

It  is  under  just  such  circumstances  that  so  many  men, 
and  especially  women,  make  shipwreck.  Thrown  sudden 
ly  upon  their  own  resources,  they  bring  to  the  great  labor- 
market  of  the  world  general  intelligence,  and  also  general 
ignorance.  With  a  smattering  of  almost  everything,  they 
do  not  know  practically  how  to  do  one  thing  well.  Skilled 
hands,  though  backed  by  neither  heart  nor  brains,  push 
them  aside.  Take  the  young  men  or  the  young  women  of 
any  well-to-do  town  or  village,  and  make  them  suddenly 
dependent  upon  their  own  efforts,  and  how  many  could 
compete  in  any  one  thing  with  those  already  engaged  in 
supplying  the  market  ?  And  yet  just  such  helpless  young 
creatures  are  every  day  compelled  to  shift  for  themselves. 
If  to  these  unfortunates  the  paths  of  honest  industry  seem 
hedged  and  thorny,  not  so  those  of  sin.  They  are  easy 
enough  at  first,  if  any  little  difficulty  with  conscience  can 
be  overcome  ;  and  the  devil,  and  fallen  humanity  doing  his 
work,  stand  ready  to  push  the  wavering  into  them. 

At  the  close  of  the  next  day,  spent  in  weary  search,  Den 
nis  met  a  temptation  to  which  many  would  have  yielded. 
As  a  last  resort  he  had  been  going  around  among  the  hotels, 
willing  to  take  even  the  situation  of  porter,  if  nothing  bet 
ter  offered.  The  day  was  fast  closing,  when,  worn  out  and 
dejected,  he  entered  a  first-class  house,  and  made  his  usual 
inquiry.  The  proprietor  looked  at  him  for  a  moment, 
slapped  him  on  the  back,  and  said  :  "  Yes,  you  are  the 
man  I  want,  I  reckon.  Do  you  drink  ?  No  !  might  have 
known  that  from  your  face.  Don't  want  a  man  that  drinks 


38  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

for  this  place.  Come  along  with  me,  then.  Will  give  you 
two  and  a  half  a  day  if  you  suit,  and  pay  you  every  night. 
I  pay  my  help  promptly  ;  they  ain't  near  so  apt  to  steal 
from  you  then." 

And  the  man  hurried  away,  followed  by  Dennis  with 
beating  heart  and  flushed,  wondering  face.  Descending  a 
flight  of  stairs,  they  entered  a  brilliantly  lighted  basement, 
which  was  nothing  less  than  a  large,  elegantly  arranged 
bar-room,  with  card  and  lunch  tables,  and  easy-chairs  for 
the  guests  to  smoke  and  tipple  in  at  their  leisure.  All 
along  one  side  of  this  room,  resplendent  with  cut  glass  and 
polished  silver,  ran  the  bar.  The  light  fell  warm  and  mellow 
on  the  various  kinds  of  liquor,  that  were  so  arranged  as  to 
be  most  tempting  to  the  thirsty  souls  frequenting  the  place. 

Stepping  up  to  the  bulky  man  behind  the  bar  the  land 
lord  said  :  "  There,  Mr.  Swig,  is  a  young  man  who  will  fill 
capitally  the  place  of  the  chap  we  dismissed  to-day  for  get 
ting  tight.  You  may  bet  your  life  from  his  face  that  he 
don't  drink.  You  can  break  him  in  in  a  few  days,  and  you 
won't  want  a  better  assistant." 

For  a  moment  a  desperate  wish  passed  through  Dennis's 
mind,  "  Oh  that  wrong  were  right  !"  Then,  indignant 
with  himself,  he  spoke  up,  firmly, — "  I  think  I  have  a  word 
to  say  in  this  matter." 

"  Well,  say  on,  then  ;  what's  the  trouble  ?" 

"  I  cannot  do  this  kind  of  work." 

"  You  will  find  plenty  harder." 

"  None  harder  for  one  believing  as  I  do.  I  will  starve 
before  I  will  do  this  work/' 

The  man  stared  at  him  for  a  moment,  and  then  coolly  re 
plied,  "  Starve  then  !"  and  turned  on  his  heel  and  walked 
away. 

Dennis  also  rushed  from  the  place,  followed  by  the 
coarse,  jeering  liugh  of  those  who  witnessed  the  scene.  In 
his  morbid,  suffering  state  their  voices  seemed  those  of 
mocking  demons. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY  39 


The  night  had  now  fallen.  He  was  too  tir«d  ind  dis 
couraged  to  look  any  farther.  Wearily  he  plodded  up  the 
street,  facing  the  bitter  blast  filled  with  snow  that  had 
begun  to  fall. 

This  then  was  the  verdict  of  the  world.  —  "Starve  !" 
This  was  the  only  prospect  it  offered,  —  that  same  brave 
world  which  had  so  smilingly  beckoned  him  on  to  great 
achievements  and  unbounded  success  but  a  few  days 
since,  —  "  Starve  !"  Every  blast  that  swept  arouM  the 
corners  howled  in  his  ears,  "  Starve  !"  Every  warmly 
clad  person  hurrying  unheedingly  by  seemed  to  say  bv  his 
indifference,  "Starve!  who  cares?  there  is  no  place  for 
you,  nothing  for  you  to  do." 

The  hard,  stern  resolution  of  the  past  few  days,  not.  to 
yield  an  inch,  to  persist  in  hewing  his  way  through  every 
difficulty,  began  to  flag.  His  very  soul  seemed  crushed 
within  him.  Even  upon  the  threshold  of  his  life,  in  his 
strong,  joyous  youth,  the  world  had  become  to  him  what 
it  literally  was  that  night,  a  cold,  wintry,  stormy  place. 
with  a  black,  lowering  sky  and  hard,  frozen  earth. 

His  father's  old  temptation  recurred  to  him  with  sudden 
and  great  power.  "  Perhaps  father  was  right,"  he  mused. 
"  God  was  against  him,  and  is  also  against  me,  his  son. 
Does  He  not  visit  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  chil 
dren  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  ?  Not  but  that 
He  will  save  us  at  last,  if  we  ask  Him,  but  there  seems 
some  great  wrong  that  must  be  severely  punished  here. 
Or  else  if  God  does  not  care  much  about  our  present  life, 
thinking  only  of  the  hereafter,  there  must  be  some  blind 
fate  or  luck  that  crushes  some  and  lifts  up  others." 

Thus  Dennis,  too  sad  and  morbid  to  take  a  just  view  of 
anything,  plodded  on  till  he  reached  his  board  ing  -place, 
and  stealing  in  as  if  he  had  no  business  to  be  there,  or  any 
where  else,  sat  down  in  a  dusky  corner  behind  the  stove, 
and  was  soon  lost  to  surrounding  life  in  his  own  miserable 
thoughts. 


40  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

A   GOOD   SAMARITAN. 

DENNIS  was  too  good  a  Christian,  and  had  received  too 
deep  a  lesson  in  his  father's  case,  to  become  bitter,  angry, 
and  defiant,  even  if  he  had  believed  that  God  was  against 
him.  He  would  have  felt  that  it  was  simply  his  duty  to 
submit, — to  endure  patiently.  Somehow  until  to-day  his 
heart  had  refused  to  believe  that  God  could  be  against  any 
of  His  creatures.  In  fact,  it  was  his  general  impression 
that  God  had  everything  to  do  with  his  being  a  good  Chris 
tian,  but  very  little  with  his  getting  a  good  place.  The'de- 
fect  in  his  religion,  and  that  of  his  mother  too,  was  that 
both  separated  the  spiritual  life  of  the  soul  too  widely  from 
the  present  life  with  its  material,  yet  essential,  cares  and 
needs.  At  this  point  they,  like  multitudes  of  others,  fell 
short  of  their  full  privilege,  and  enjoyment  of  God's  good 
ness.  His  mother  had  cheered  and  sustained  her  hard  lot 
by  hopes  and  visions  of  the  better  life  beyond, — by  antici 
pating  joys  to  come.  She  had  never  fully  learned  how 
God's  love,  like  the  sunlight,  could  shine  upon  and  brighten 
the  thorny,  rocky  way,  and  cause  the  thorns  to  blossom, 
and  delicate  fragrant  flowers  to  grow  in  the  crevices  and 
bloom  in  shaded  nooks  among  the  sharp  stones.  *  She  must 
svait  for  her  consolation.  She  must  look  out  of  her  dark 
ness  to  the  light  that  shone  through  the  portals  of  the 
tomb,  forgetting  that  God  caused  His  servants  to  sing  at 
midnight,  in  the  inner  prison,  the  deepest  dungeon,  though 
scourged  and  bleeding. 

Unconsciously  her  son  had  imbibed  the  same  ideas.  Most 
devoutly  he  asked  every  day  to  be  kept  from  sin,  that  he 
might  grow  in  the  Christian  life  ;  but  he  did  not  ask  or  ex 
pect,  save  in  a  vague,  general  way,  that  help  which  a  wise, 
good,  earthly  father  would  give  to  a  young,  inexperienced 


BARRIERS  BURNED   AWAY.  41 

,. struggling  with  the  hard,  practical  difficulties  of  this 
world.  As  the  days  grew  darker  and  more  full  of  disap 
pointment,  he  had  asked  with  increasing  earnestness  that 
he'might  be  kept  from  sin, — from  falling  before  the  many 
and  peculiar  temptations  that  assailed  him  ;  and  we  have  seen 
how  God  answered  his  prayer,  and  kept  him  where  so  many 
would  have  fallen.  But  God  meant  to  show  him  that  His. 
goodness  extended  farther  than  Jie  thought,  and  that  He 
cared  for  His  children's  well-being  now  as  truly  as  in  the 
hereafter,  when  He  gathered  them  home  into  His  imme 
diate  presence.  But. Dennis  could  not  see  this  now.  As- 
far  as  he  thought  at  all  on  the  subject,  he  had  the  vague 
feeling  that  God  was  either  trying  his  faith  or  meting  out 
some  righteous  judgment,  and  he  must  do  the  best  he  could,, 
and  only  see  to  it  that  he  did  not  sin  and  give  way  morally. 

Yet,  in  the  thick  night  of  his  earthly  prospects,  Dennis- 
still  loved  and  trusted  God.  He  reasoned  justly,  that  if  at 
last  brought  to  such  a  place  as  heaven,  no  matter  what  he 
suffered  here,  he  had  only  cause  for  unbounded  gratitude. 
And  he  felt  sure  that  all  would  be  right  in  the  end,  but 
now  feared  that  his  life  would  be  like  his  father's,  a  tissue 
of  disappointments,  and  that  he,  an  unsuccessful  voyager, 
storm-tossed  and  shipwrecked,  would  be  thrown  upon  the 
heavenly  shore  by  some  dark-crested  billow  of  misfortune. 

Thus  Dennis  sat  lost  in  gloomy  musings,  but  too  wearied 
in  mind  atid  body  to  follow  any  line  of  thought  long.  A 
few  stern  facts  kept  looming  up  before  him,  like  rocks  on 
which  a  ship  is  drifting.  '  He  had  less  than  a  dollar  in  his 
pocket.  It  was  Friday  night.  If  he  did  not  get  anything 
to  do  on  Saturday,  how  was  he  going  to  live  through  Sun 
day  and  the  days  that  followed?  Then  his  dependent 
mother  and  sisters  rose  up  before  him.  They  seemed  to  hi& 
morbid  fancy  hungry  and  cold,  and  their  famine-pinched 
faces  full  of  reproach.  His  head  bowed  lower,  and  he  be 
came  the  very  picture  of  dejection. 

He  was  startled  by  a  big,  hearty  voice  at  his  side,  ex- 


42  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

claiming  :  ' '  What  makes  yer  so  down  in  the  mouth  ? 
Come  take  a  drink,  and  cheer  up  !" 

Raising  his  eyes,  he  saw  a  round,  red  face,  like  a  harvest 
moon,  shining  full  upon  him.  It  was  somewhat  kindly  in 
its  expression,  in  keeping  with  the  words.  Rough  as  was 
the  courtesy,  it  went  straight  to  the  lonely,  discouraged 
heart  of  the  young  man,  and  with  moistened  eyes  he  said, 
' '  I  thank  you  for  speaking  to  me  in  a  tone  that  has  a  little 
human  touch  in  it,  for  the  last  man  that  spoke  to  me  left 
an  echo  in  my  ear  that  I  would  gladly  get  out  of  it." 

"  Bad  luck  to  him,  then  !  Give  us  yer  hand  ;  there  I" 
with  a  grip  like  a  vise.  "  Bill  Cronk  never  went  back  on 
a  man  he  took  to.  I  tell  yer  what,  stranger,"  said  he,  be 
coming  confidential,  "  when  I  saw  yer  glowering  and  blink 
ing  here  in  the  corner  as  if  yer  was  listening  to  yer  own 

funeral  sermon,  I  be  if  I  could  take  a  comfortable 

drink.  Come,  now,  take  a  good  swig  of  old  rye,  and  see 
how  things  will  mellow  up." 

Our  good  Samaritan  in  this  case  was  a  very  profane  and 
disreputable  one,  as  many  are  in  this  medley  world.  He 
had  a  great,  kindly  nature,  that  was  crawling  and  grovel 
ling  in  all  sorts  of  low,  unseemly  places,  instead  of  grow 
ing  straight  up  toward  heaven. 

"  I  hope  you  will  think  me  none  the  less  friendly  if  I  de 
cline,"  said  Dennis.  "  I  would  drink  with  you  as  quick  as 
with  any  man  living,  but  it  is  a  thing  I  never  do." 

"  Oh,  you're  temperance,  are  yer  ?  Well,  I  don't  think 
none  the  wuss  of  yer  for  standing  by  yer  colors.  Between 
us,  it  would  be  better  for  me  if  I  was  a  little  more  so. 
Hang  it  all !  I  take  a  drop  too  much  now  and  then.  But 
what  is  a  fellow  to  do,  roughing  it  up  and  down  the  world 
like  me  ?  I  should  often  get  lonely  and  mope  in  the  corner 
as  you  did,  if  I  didn't  get  up  steam.  When  I  am  down  in 
the  mouth  I  take  a  drink  to  'liven  me  up,  and  when  I  feel 
good  I  take  a  drink  to  make  me  feel  better.  When  I 
wouldn't  take  a  drink  on  my  own  hook,  I  meet  somebody 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  43 

that  I'd  ought  to  drink  with.  It  is  astonishing  how  many 
occasions  there  are  to  drink,  'specially  when  a  man's  trav 
elling,  like  me." 

"  No  fear  but  what  the  devil  will  make  occasions 
enough,"  said  Dennis. 

"  What  has  the  devil  got  to  do  with  it  ?"  asked  the  man, 
gruffly. 

Just  then  the  miserable  wretch  entered  who,  appearing 
opportunely  in  Gavin's  Hotel,  had  cured  Dennis  of  his  de 
sire  to  drink,  when  weary  and  despondent,  for  the  sake  of 
the  effects.  For  a  moment  they  looked  at  the  blear-eyed, 
trembling  wreck  of  a  man,  and  then  Dennis  asked,  "  Had 
God  any  hand  in  making  that  man  what  he  is  ?" 

"  I  should  say  not,"  said  Bill  Cronk,  emphatically. 

"  Well,  I  should  say  the  devil  had,"  said  Dennis  ;  "  and 
there  behind  the  bar  are  the  means  used, — the  best  tool  he 
has,  it  seems  to  me  ;  for  with  it  he  gets  hold  of  men  with 
gome  heart  and  soul  in  them,  like  you." 

The  man  winced  under  the  words  that  both  conscience 
and  experience  told  him  were  true  ;  at  the  same  time  he 
was  propitiated  by  Dennis's  good  opinion  of  him.  He  gave 
a  big,  good-natured  laugh,  slapped  Dennis  on  the  shoulder, 
and  said  :  "  Wai,  stranger1,  p'raps  you're  right.  'Tain't 
every  temperance  lecturer  though  that  has  an  awful  exam 
ple  come  in  just  at  the  right  time  so  slick.  But  you've 
stood  by  yer  colors,  and  we  won't  quarrel.  Tell  us,  now, 
if  it  ain't  private,  what  you're  so  chopfallen  about." 

Dennis  told  his  story,  as  grateful  for  this  rough  sympa 
thy  as  a  thirsty  traveller  would  be  in  finding  a  spring 
though  surrounded  by  thorns  and  rocks. 

The  round,  jolly  face  actually  grew  long  and  serious 
through  interest  in  the  young  man's  tribulations. 

After  scratching  a  shaggy  but  practical  head  for  a  few 
moments,  Bill  spoke  as  follows  : — 

"  Seems  to  me  the  case  is  just  this  :  here  you  are,  a 
young  blooded  colt,  not  broken  to  either  saddle  or  thills, — 


44  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

liere  you  are  whinnying  around  a  market  where  they  want 
nothing  but  dray-hosses.  People  look  shy  at  you,— usually 
do  at  a  strange  hoss.  Few  know  good  p'ints  when  they  see 
'em.  When  they  find  you  ain't  broke,  in  to  nothin',  they 
want  you  to  work  for  nothin'.  I  see  how  you  can't  do 
this.  And  yet  fodder  is  runnin'  short,  and  you  must  do 
some  thin'." 

Bill,  having  dealt  in  live-stock  all  his  life,  naturally 
clothed  his  thoughts  in  language  drawn  from  familiar  ob 
jects,  and  Dennis,  miserable  as  he  was,  half  smiled  at  the 
close  parallel  run  between  him  and  a  young,  useless  colt ; 
but  he  only  said,  "I  don't  think  there  is  a  cart-horse  in 
all  Chicago  that  feels  more  broken  down  and  dispirited  than 
I  do  to-night." 

"  That  may  all  be,  too,"  said  Bill ;  "but  you'd  feel  a  lit 
tle  oats  mighty  quick,  and  a  cart-hoss  wouldn't.  But  I 
know  the  p'ints,  whether  it's  a  man  or  a  hoss  :  you'd  take 
kindly  to  work  of  the  right  sort,  and  it  would  pay  any  one 
to  take  you  at  yer  own  terms,  but  you  can't  make  'em  see 
it.  If  I  was  in  a  situation  to  take  you,  I'd  do  it  in  a  min 
ute.  Hang  it  all  !  I  can't  do  much  for  you,  either.  I 
took  a  drop  too  much  in  Cleveland  t'other  night,  and  some 
of  the  folks  in  the  house  looked  over  my  pocket-book  and 
left  me  just  enough  to  get  home  with." 

Dennis  shook  his  head  reproachfully  and  was  about  to 
speak. 

"  I  know  what  you're  going  to  say,"  said  Bill,  heading 
off  another  temperance  lecture.  "  I'll  take  a  drink  by  and 
by,  and  think  over  what  you've  said,  for  I  can't  think 
much  until  I  get  a  little  steam  up.  But  now  we  must  try 
and  see  some  way  out  of  the  fog  for  you  ;"  and  again  in 
absence  of  the  wonted  steam  he  scratched  the  shaggy  head 
vigorously. 

"  Seems  to  me  the  best  thing  for  you  is  to  do  as  I  did 
when  I  first  broke  the  home  pasture  and  started  out  on  a 
rampage.  I  just  grabbed  the  fust  job  that  come  along 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  45 

good,  bad,  or  indifferent,— always  kept  doing  something. 
You  can  look  fora  bird  in  a  bash  quite  as  well  when  you've 
got  one  in  the  hand  as  when  you  hain't.  To  be  sure  I 
wasn't  as  squeamish  as  you  are.  I'd  jumped  at  the  offer 
you  had  this  afternoon  ;  but  I  reckon  I'd  taken  toll  too 
often  to  be  very  profitable.  But  in  this  way  I  always  kept 
a-goin' — never  got  down  underfoot  so  the  stronger  ones 
could  tread  on  me.  When  it  comes  to  that,  I  want  to  die. 
Now  if  you've  got  plenty  of  clear  grit —  Leetle  disposed 
to  show  the  white  feather  though,  to-night,  ain't  yer  ?" 

Dennis  flushed  up,  and  was  about  to  speak,  almost 
angrily. 

"  There  I  there  !"  said  his  new  friend.  "  I  said  yer 
wasn't  a  cart-hoss  :  one  touch  of  the  spur  and  up  goes  tail 
and  ears,  and  then  look  out.  Are  yer  ashamed  to  do  any 
kind  of  honest  work  ?  I  mean  kinder  pious  work,  thai 
hasn't  any  smack  of  the  devil  you're  so  afraid  of  in  it  ?" 

"  No  !  work  is  just  what  I  want." 

"  Would  you  black  boots,  now  ?" 

Dennis  winced,  thought  a  moment,  and  then,  with  a  man 
ly  flush,  said,  "  Yes,  before  I  would  take  a  cent  of  charity 
from  any  living  soul." 

"  Give  us  yer  hand  again.  You're  the  kind  of  critter  I 
like  to  invest  in  ;  for  you'd  improve  on  a  feller's  hands. 
No  fear  about  you  ;  the  only  thing  is  to  get  you  in  harness 
before  a  load  that  will  pay  to  haul." 

Suddenly  he  got  up,  strode  to  the  bar-room  door,  looked 
out  into  the  night,  and  came  back  again. 

"  I  think  I  know  of  a  way  in  which  you  can  make  two 
or  three  dollars  to-morrow." 

"How?"  exclaimed  Dennis,  his  whole  face  lighting  up 
with  hope. 

"  Go  to  a  hardware  store,  invest  in  a  big  wooden  snow- 
shovel,  and  clean  off  sidewalks  before  stores.  You  can  pick 
up  a  good  many  quarters  before  night,  like  enough." 

"I  will  do  it."  said  Dennis,  heartily,  "and  thank  you 


46  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

warmly  for  the  suggestion,  and  for  your  kindly  interest 
generally  ;"  and  he  looked  up  and  felt  himself  another 
man. 

"  Gosh  !  but  it  takes  mighty  few  oats  to  set  you  up  I 
But  come,  and  let  us  have  a  little  plain,  substantial  fodder. 
I  will  diink  nothing  but  coffee,  to-night,  out  of  compli 
ment  to  you." 

Cheered,  comforted,  and  hopeful,  Dennis  sat  down  with 
his  good  Samaritan,  and  made  a  hearty  supper,  after  which 
they  parted  with  a  strong  friendly  grip,  and  sincere  good 
wishes,  Cronk,  the  drover,  going  on  farther  west,  and  Den- 
uis  to  the  rest  he  so  sorely  needed. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

YAHCOB   BUNK. 

BEFORE  retiring,  Dennis  as  usual  took  his  Bible  from  his 
trunk  to  read  a  chapter.  He  was  now  in  a  very  different 
mood  from  that  of  a  few  hours  ago.  The  suggestion  of 
his  bar-room  acquaintance  was  a  light  upon  his  way.  And 
with  one  of  Dennis's  age  and  temperament,  even  a  small 
hope  is  potent.  He  was  eager  for  the  coming  day,  in  order 
to  try  the  experiment  of  wringing  bread  and  opportunity 
for  further  search  out  of  the  wintry  snows. 

But  that  whicli  had  done  him  the  most  good — more  than  he 
realized — was  the  kindness  he  had  received,  rough  though 
it  was,— the  sympathy  and  companionship  of  another 
human  being  ;  for  if  he  had  been  cast  away  on  a  desert 
island  he  could  not  have  been  more  isolated  than  in  the 
great  city,  with  its  indifferent  multitudes. 

Moreover  the  generous  supper  was  not  without  its  decid 
ed  influence  ;  and  with  it  he  had  drunk  a  cup  of  good 
coffee,  that  nectar  of  the  gods,  whose  subtile,  delicate  ia 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  4? 

fluence  is  felt  in  body  and  brain,  in  every  fibre  of  the  na 
ture  not  deadened  and  blunted  by  stronger  and  coarser 
stimulants.  He  who  leaves  out  physical  causes  in  account 
ing  for  mental  and  moral  states,  will  usually  come  wide  of 
the  mark.  But  while  giving  ihe  influences  above  referred 
to  their  due  force,  so  far  from  ignoring,  we  would  acknowl 
edge  with  emphasis,  the  chief  cause  of  man's  ability  to  re 
ceive  and  appreciate  all  the  highest  phases  of  truth  and 
good,  namely,  God's  help  asked  for  and  given.  Prayer 
was  a  habit  with  Dennis.  He  asked  God  with  childlike 
faith  for  the  bestowrnent  of  every  Christian  grace,  and 
those  who  knew  him  best  saw  that  he  had  no  reason  to 
complain  that  his  prayers  were  unanswered. 

But  now,  at  a  time  when  he  would  most  appreciate  it, 
God  was  about  to  reveal  to  him  a  truth  that  would  be  a 
rich  source  of  help  and  comfort  through  life,  and  u  s-lden 
burst  of  sunshine  upon  his  dark  way  at  the  present  hour. 
He  was  to  be  shown  how  he  might  look  to  .heaven  2o±  help 
and  guidance  in  respect  to  his  present  and  earthly  interests, 
as  truly  as  in  his  spiritual  life. 

As  he  opened  his  Bible  his  eyes  caught  the  words  of  our 
Lord, — "  Launch  out  into  the  deep  and  let  down  your  nets 
for  a  draught." 

Then  Peter's  answer,— "  Master,  we  have  toiled  all  the 
night  and  have  taken  nothing  :  nevertheless,  at  Thy  word 
I  will  let  down  the  net." 

The  result, — "  They  enclosed  a  great  multitude  of  fishes. " 

With  these  words  light  broke  in  upon  his  i.-ind.  "  If 
our  Lord, "he  mused,  "helped  His  first  disciples  catch 
fish,  why  should  He  not  help  me  find  a  good  place  ?" 
Then  unbelief  suggested,  "  It  was  not  for  the  sake  of  the 
fish  ;  they  were  only  means  to  a  higher  end." 

But  Dennis,  who  had  plenty  of  good  common-sense,  at 
once  answered  this  objection  :  "  Neither  do  I  want  position 
and  money  for  low,  selfish  purposes.  My  ends  are  the  best 
and  purest,  for  I  am  seeking  my  own  honest  living  and  the 


\ 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


support  of  my  mother  and  sisters,— the  very  imperative 
duties  that  God  is  now  imposing  on  me.  Would  God  re 
veal  a  duty  and  no  way  of  performing  it  ?" 

Then  came  the  thought :  "  Have  I  asked  Him  to  help 
*  me  ?  Have  I  not  been  seeking  in  my  own  wisdom,  and 
trusting  in  my  own  strength  ?  and  this  too  when  my  igno 
rance  of  business,  the  dull  season  of  the  year,  and  every 
thing  was  against  me,  when  I  specially  needed  help.  Lit 
tle  wonder  that  I  have  fared  as  I  have." 

Turning  the  leaves  of  his  Bible  rapidly,  he  began  search 
ing  for  instances  of  God's  interference  in  behalf  of  the  tem 
poral  interests  of  His  servants, — for  passages  where  earthly 
prosperity  was  promised  or  given.  After  an  hour  he  closed 
the  Bible  with  a  long  breath  of  wonder,  and  said  to  himself  : 
"  Why,  God  seems  to  care  as  much  for  the  well-being 
and  happiness  of  His  children  here  as  He  will  when  He  has 
us  all  about  Him  in  the  home  above.  I've  been  blind  for 
twenty-one  years  to  one  of  the  grandest  truths  of  this 
Book." 

Then,  as  the  thought  grew  upon  him,  he  exclaimed,  joy 
ously,  "  Take  heart,  Dennis  Fleet :  God  is  on  your  side  in 
the  struggle  for  an  honest  success  in  this  life  as  truly  as  in 
your  fight  against  sin  and  the  devil. " 

It  was  long  before  he  slept  that  night,  but  a  truth  had 
been  revealed  that  rested  and  strengthened  him  more  than 
•rtie  heavy  slumbers  after  the  weary  days  that  had  preceded. 

The  dawn  of  the  winter  morning  was  cold  and  faint  when 
Dennis  appeared  in  the  bar-room  the  next  day.  The  jolly- 
faced  Teuton  was  making  the  fire,  stopping  often  to  blow 
his  cold  fingers,  and  wasting  enough  good  breath  to  have 
kindled  a  furnace.  His  rubicund  visage,  surrounded  by 
shaggy  hair  and  beard  of  yellow,  here  appeared  in  the  dust 
and  smoke  he  was  making  like  the  sun  rising  in  a  fog. 

"  Hillo  !"  he  said,  on  seeing  Dennis  ;  "  vat  you  oop  dis 
early  for  ?  Don't  vant  anoder  dinner  yet,  I  hope  ?" 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  49 

"  I  will  take  that  in  good  time,"  said  Dennis  ;  "  and  shall 
want  a  bigger  one  than  that  which  so  astonished  you  at  first. ' ' 

"  O  my  eyes  !"  said  the  German  ;  "  den  I  go  and  tell  de 
cook  to  pegin  to  get  him  right  avay." 

Laughing  good-naturedly,  Dennis  went  to  the  door  and 
looked  out.  On  sidewalk  and  street  the  snow  lay  six  or 
eight  inches  deep,  untrodden,  white  and  spotless,  even  in 
the  heart  of  the  great  city.  "  How  different  this  snow  will 
look  by  night,"  thought  he;  ifhow  soiled  and  black! 
Perhaps  very  many  come  to  this  city  in  the  morning  of  life 
like  this  snow,  pure  and  unstained  ;  but  after  being  here 
awhile  they  become  like  this  snow  when  it  has  been  tossed 
about  and  trodden  under  every  careless  foot.  God  grant 
that,  however  poor  and  unsuccessful  I  may  remain,  such 
pollution  may  never  be  my  fate." 

But  feeling  that  he  had  no  time  for  moralizing  if  he  would 
secure  bread  for  the  coming  day  of  rest,  he  turned  and 
said  to  the  factotum  of  the  bar-room,  "  How  much  will  you 
give  to  have  the  snow  cleared  off  the  sidewalk  in  front  of 
your  house?" 

"  Zwei  shillen." 

"  Then  I  will  earn  my  breakfast  before  I  eat  it,  if  you 
will  lend  me  a  shovel." 

"I  dought  you  vas  a  shentlemans,"  said  the  German, 
staring  at  him. 

"  So  I  am  ;  just  the  shentlemans  that  will  clean  off  your 
sidewalk  for  zwei  shillen,  if  you  will  let  him." 

"  You  vant  to  do  him  for  exercise  ?" 

"  No  ;  for  zwei  shillings." 

"  I  dought  you  vas  a  shentlemans,"  said  the  man,  still 
staring  in  stolid  wonder  at  Dennis. 

"  Didn't  you  ever  know  of  a  gentleman  who  came  from 
Germany  to  this  country  and  was  glad  to  do  anything  for 
an  honest  living?" 

"  Often  and  often  I  haf.  You  see  von  here,"  said  the 
man,  with  a  grin. 


50  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAY. 

"  Well,  I  am  just  that  kind  of  a  gentleman.  Now  if  you 
will  lend  me  a  shovel  I  will  clean  off  your  sidewalk  for  two 
shillings,  and  be  a  great  deal  more  thankful  than  if  you  had 
given  me  the  money  for  nothing." 

"  Little  fear  of  dot,"  said  the  man,  with  another  grin. 
"  Vel,  you  are  der  queerest  Yankee  in  Chicago,  you  are  ;  I 
dink  you  are  'bout  haf  Sherman.  I  tells  you  vat,— here, 
vat's  your  name  ?— if  you  glean  off  dot  sidewalk  goot,  you 
shall  haf  preakfast  and  dinner,  much  as  you  eat,  vidout 
von  shent  to  pay.  I  don't  care  if  der  cook  is  cooking  all 
day.  I  like  your — vat  you  call  him  ?— shpunk." 

"  It's  a  bargain,"  said  Dennis  ;  "  and  if  I  can  make  a  few 
more  like  it  to-day,  I  shall  be  rich." 

"  You  may  vel  say  dot.  I  vill  go  into  der  market  and  see 
if  dere's  enough  for  me  to  keep  my  bart  of  der  pargain 
goot." 

For  half  an  hour  Dennis  worked  away  lustily,  and  then 
called  his  task-master  and  said,  "  Will  you  accept  the  job  ?" 

Surveying  with  surprise  the  large  space  cleared,  and 
looking  in  vain  for  reason  to  find  fault,  he  said  :  "  I  say 
nothiu'  agin  him.  I  hope  you  vill  eat  your  dinner  as  quick. 
Now  come  in  to  your  preakfast." 

He  pretended  to  be  perfectly  aghast  at  Dennis's  onslaught 
on  the  buckwheat  cakes,  and  rolled  up  his  eyes  despairing 
ly  as  each  new  plate  was  emptied. 

Having  finished,  Dennis  gave  him  a  nod,  and  said, 
"Wait  till  dinner-time." 

-"  Ah  !  dere  vill  be  von  famine,"  said  the  German,  in  a 
tone  of  anguish,  wringing  his  hands. 

Having  procured  the  needful  implement,  Dennis  started 
out,  and,  though  there  was  considerable  competition,  found 
plenty  to  do,  and  shovelled  away  with  little  cessation  till 
one  o'clock.  Then,  counting  his  gains,  he  found  that  he 
had  paid  for  his  shovel,  secured  breakfast  and  dinner,  and 
had  a  balance  on  hand  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents,  and 
he  had  nearly  half  a  day  yet  before  him.  He  felt  rich, — 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  51 

nay,  more  than  that,  he  felt  like  a  man  who,  sinking  in  a 
shoreless  ocean,  suddenly  catches  a  plank  that  bears  him 
up  until  land  appears  in  the  distance. 

"  This  is  what^  comes  of  asking  God  to  help  a  fellow," 
said  he  to  himself.  "  Strange,  too,  that  He  should  answer 
my  prayer  in  part  before  I  asked,  by  causing  that  queer 
jumble  of  good  and  evil,  Bill  Cronk,  to  suggest  to  me  this 
way  of  turning  an  honest  penny.  *  I  wish  Bill  was  as  good 
a  friend  to  himself  as  he  is  to  others.  I  fear  that  he  will 
go  to  the  dogs.  Bless  me  !  the  gnawings  of  hunger  are  bad 
enough,  but  what  must  be  those  of  conscience  ?  I  think  I 
can  astonish  my  German  friend  to-day  as  never  before  ;" 
and,  shouldering  his  shovel,  he  walked  back  to  dinner, 
feeling  like  a  prince  bearing  aloft  the  insignia  of  his  power. 

When  he  entered  the  bar  and  lunch  room,  he  saw  that 
something  was  wrong.  The  landlord  met  him,  instead  of 
his  jolly,  satirical  friend. 

Now,  the  owner  of  the  place  was  a  wizen-faced,  dried-up 
old  anatomy,  who  seemed  utterly  exhaling  away  in  tobacco 
smoke,  while  his  assistant  was  becoming  spherical  under 
the  expansive  power  of  lager.  It  was  his  custom  to  sit  up 
and  smoke  most  of  the  night,  and  therefore  he  was  down 
late  in  the  morning.  When  he  appeared  his  assistant  told 
him  of  the  bargain  he  had  made  with  Dennis  as  a  good 
joke.  But  old  Hans  hadn't  any  faculty  for  jokes.  Dollars 
and  cents  and  his  big  meerschaum  made  up  the.  two  ele 
ments  of  his  life.  The  thought  of  losing  zwei  shillings  or 
zwei  cents  by  Dennis,  or  any  one  else,  caused  him  anguish, 
and  instead  of  laughing,  his  fun-loving  assistant  was  aghast 
at  seeing  him  fall  into  a  passion. 

"  You  be  von  pig  fule.  Vat  for  we  keep  mens  here  who 
haf  no  money  ?  You  should  gleared  him  off,  instead  of 
making  pargains  for  him  to  eat  us  out  of  der  house." 

"  We  haf  his  trunk,"  said  Jacob,  for  that  was  his  name. 

"  Nothin'  in  it,"  growled  Hans,  yet  somewhat  mollified 
by  this  fact. 


52  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

When  Dennis  appeared,  he  put  the  case  without  any  cir 
cumlocution  :  "  I  makes  my  lirin'  by  keepin'  dis  house.  I 
can  no  make  my  livin'  unless  efrypodies  bays  me.  I  haf 
reason  to  dink  dot  you  haf  no  moneys.  Vat  ish  de  druf  ? 
'Gause  if  you  haf  none,  you  can  no  longer  stay  here.  ' 

"  Have  I  not  paid  for  everything  I  have  had  so  far  ?" 
said  Dennis. 

"  Dot  is  not  der  question.     Haf  you  got  any  moneys  ?'" 

"  What  is  your  bill  in  advance  up  to  Monday  morning  ?" 

"  Zwei  dollar  and  a  quarter,  if  you  dake  preakfast. " 

"  Deduct  breakfast  and  dinner  to-day  for  clearing  off  the 
sidewalk. ' ' 

"  Dot  ish  too  much  ;  you  did  it  in  half -hour." 

"  Well,  it  would  have  taken  you  three.  But  a  bargain  is 
a  bargain,  the  world  over.  Did  not  you  promise  it  ?" — to 
Jacob. 

"  Yah  !  und  you  shall  haf  him,  too,  if  I  be  der  loser. 
Yahcob  Bunk  ish  not  der  man  to  go  pack  on  his  vort. " 

"  Vel,  den,"  said  old  Hans,  "  von  dollar  sheventy-five  to 
Monday  morning. ' ' 

"  There's  the  money  ;  now  let  me  have  my  dinner,  for  I 
am  in  a  hurry." 

At  the  sight  of  money  Hans  at  once  became  the  most  ob 
sequious  of  hosts,  and  so  would  remain  while  it  lasted. 
But  Dennis  saw  that  the  moment  it  was  gone  his  purchased 
courtesy,  would  change,  and  he  trembled  at  his  narrow  es 
cape  from  being  thrust  out  into  the  wintry  streets,  friend 
less,  penniless,  to  beg  or  starve, — equally  hard  alternatives 
to  his  mind. 

"  Come,  Yahcob,  thou  snail,  give  der  shentlemans  his 
dinner,"  said  Hans. 

Jacob,  who  had  been  looking  on  with  heavy,  stolid  face, 
now  brightened  up  on  seeing  that  all  was  right,  and  gave 
Dennis  a  double  portion  of  the  steaming  pot-pie,  and  a  huge 
mng  of  coffee.  When  Dennis  had  finished  these  and 
crowned  his  repast  with  a  big  dumpling,  Jacob  came  to 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  53 

him  with  a  face  as  long  and  serious  as  his  harvest  moon  of 
a  visage  could  be  made,  and  said  :  "  Dere  ish  nodding 
more  in  Chicago  ;  you  haf  gleaned  it  out.  Ve  must  vait 
dill  der  evenin'  drain  gomes  pefore  ve  haf  supper." 

"  That  will  be  time  enough  for  me,"  said  Dennis,  laugh 
ing,— for  he  could  laugh  to-day  at  little  things, — and  start 
ed  off  again  with  his  shovel. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

LAND   AT   LAST. 

DURING  the  latter  part  of  a  busy  afternoon,  Dennis  came 
to  a  spacious,  elegant  store  before  which  the  snow  lay  un 
touched  save  as  trodden  by  passers-by.  Over  the  high 
arched  door- way  was  the  legend  in  gilt  letters,  "  Art  Build 
ing  ;"  and  as  far  as  a  mere  warehouse  for  beautiful  things 
could  deserve  the  title,  this  place  did,  for  it  was  crowded 
with  engravings,  paintings,  bronzes,  statuary,  and  every 
variety  of  ornament.  With  delighted  eyes  and  lingering 
steps  he  had  passed  slowly  through  this  store  a  few  days 
previous  in  his  search,  but  had  received  the  usual  cool  nega 
tive.  He  had  gone  reluctantly  out  into  the  cold  street 
again  as  Adam  went  out  of  Paradise. 

A  large  florid-looking  man  with  a  light  curling  mustache 
now  stood  in  the  door-way  His  appearance  was  unmis 
takably  that  of  a  German  of  the  highest  and  most  cultivat 
ed  type.  And  yet,  when  he  spoke,  his  English  was  so  good 
that  you  detected  only  a  foreign  accent.  Strong  vexation 
was  stamped  upon  his  face  as  he  looked  at  the  snowy,  un 
tidy  sidewalk. 

"  Mr.  Schwartz,"  he  asked  of  one  of  his  clerks,  "was 
Pat  here  this  morning  ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 


\ 
54  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  Was  he  perfectly  straight  ?" 

"  I  cannot  say  that  he  was,  sir." 

"He  is  off  on  a  spree  again.  Send  him  to  me  the  mo 
ment  he  returns." 

"Shall  I  clear  your  sidewalk?"  said  Dennis,  stepping 
up  and  touching  his  hat  respectfully. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  gentleman,  scarcely  looking  at  him  ; 
"  and  when  you  have  finished  come  to  the  office  for  your 
money  ;"  and  then  he  walked  back  into  the  store  with  A 
frowning  brow. 

Though  Dennis  was  now  pretty  thoroughly  fatigued 
with  the  hard  day's  work,  he  entered  on  this  task  with  a 
good  will  as  the  closing  labor  of  the  day,  hoping,  from  the 
wide  space  to  be  cleared,  to  receive  proportionate  »scom- 
pense.  And  yet  his  despatph  was  not  so  great  as  usual, 
for  in  spite  of  himself  his  eyes  were  continually  wandering 
to  the  large  show-windows,  from  which  smiled  down  upon 
him  summer  landscapes,  and  lovely  faces  that  seemed  all 
the  more  beautiful  in  contrast  with  the  bleak  and  darken 
ing  street. 

He  was  rudely  startled  from  one  of  his  stolen  glances  at 
a  sweet,  girlish  face  that  seemed  peering  archly  at  him 
from  a  corner.  His  ears  were  assailed  by  the  loud  tones 
and  strong  brogue  of  "  Pat,"  returning  thus  late  to  his 
neglected  duties. 

"  Bad  luck  to  yez  !  what  yez  doin'  here  ?" 

"  Clearing  the  sidewalk,"  said  Dennis,  laconically. 

"  Give  me  that  shovel,  or  I'll  knock  bloody  blazes  out  of 
yez." 

Dennis  at  once  stood  on  the  defensive,  and  raised  his  tool 
threateningly.  At  the  same  time  seeing  a  policeman,  he 
called  out,  "  Will  you  please  cause  this  drunken  fellow  to 
move  on?" 

The  officer  was  about  to  comply,  when  the  Irishman, 
with  a  snort  like  that  of  a  mad  bull,  rushed  to  the  door  of 
the  art  building,  wrenched  it  open,  and,  leaving  it  so,  tore 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  55 

down  the  long  store,  crying,  "  Misther  Ludolph  !  Misther 
Ludolph  1  here's  a  bloody  spalpane  a-doin'  my  work." 

He  had  scarcely  got  half-way  to  the  office  before  there 
was  a  crash  followed  by  a  general  commotion. 

Pat,  in  his  blind  rage,  and  with  steps  uncertain  from  the 
effects  of  whiskey,  had  struck  a  valuable  marble,  and  it  lay- 
broken  on  the  floor.  This  catastrophe  sobered  him,  and  he 
stood  looking  in  dismay  at  the  destruction  he  had  wrought. 
His  employer,  the  gentleman  whom  Dennis  had  seen  at  the 
door,  now  appeared  upon  the  scene  in  a  towering  passion, 
and  scrupled  not  to  heap  maledictions  upon  the  head  of  the 
unfortunate  Hibernian. 

' '  What  do  you  mean  by  rushing  through  the  store  in 
this  mad  style  ?"  he  demanded. 

"  There's  an  impudent  fellow  outside  a-doin'  my  work," 
said  Pat. 

"  Why  didn't  you  do  it  yourself,  instead  of  going  off  to 
the  gin-mills  this  morning  ?  Didn't  I  warn  you  ?  Didn't 
I  tell  you  your  last  spree  should  be  the  last  in  my  employ  ? 
Now  begone,  you  drunken  idiot !  and  if  you  ever  show 
your  face  on  these  premises  again  I'll  have  you  arrested 
and  compel  payment  for  this  marble,  and  it  will  take  every 
cent  you  have  in  the  world,  and  more  too." 

"  Ah !  Misther  Ludolph,  if  ye'll  only  give  me  one 
more — " 

"  I  tell  you  be  off  !  or  I  will  call  the  policeman  at  once." 

"  But  Bridget  and  the  childer  will  starve." 

"  What  are  Bridget  and  the  children  to  me  ?  If  you 
won't  take  care  of  them,  you  can't  expect  other  people  to. 
Begone  !"  said  his  employer,  advancing  threateningly  and 
stamping  his  foot. 

Pat  looked  around  in  vain  for  help  :  the  clerks  were  but 
fainter  echoes  of  their  master. 

Seeing  his  case  to  be  hopeless,  he  turned  about  and  hur 
ried  away,  his  big  red  face  distorted  by  many  contending 
emotions.  Nor  did  he  stop  until  he  reached  one  of  the 


56  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

fatal  "gin-mills,"  where  he  soon  drowned  memory  and 
trouble  in  huge  potations  of  the  fiery  element  that  was  de 
stroying  him  and  bringing  wretchedness  to  "  Bridget  and 
the  childer." 

Again  Dennis  had  a  lesson  on  drinking  for  the  effects. 

He  rapidly  completed  his  work  and  entered  the  store.  A 
clerk  handed  him  fifty  cents. 

"  May  I  see  Mr.  Ludolph  a  moment  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  clerk,  "  he  is  in  the  inner  office  there  ; 
feut  I  guess  you  won't  find  him  very  smooth  this  evening," 
looking  at  the  same  time  suggestively  toward  the  broken 
marble. 

But  Mr.  Ludolph  was  not  in  as  bad  a  humor  as  was  im 
agined.  This  thrifty  Teuton  had  not  lost  much  by  the. mis 
hap  of  the  afternoon,  for  a  month  or  two  of  wages  was  clue 
Pat,  and  this  kept  back  would  pay  in  the  main  for  the  in 
jury  he  had  done.  His  whole  soul  being  bent  on  the  ac 
quirement  of  money,  for  reasons  that  will  be  explained 
further  on,  his  momentary  passion  soon  passed  away  when 
he  found  he  had  sustained  no  material  injury.  To  Dennis's 
knock  he  responded  in  his  usual  tone,  "  Come  in  !"  and 
Dennis  stood  in  a  warm,  lighted,  cosey  office,  where  the  ob 
ject  of  his  quest  sat  writing  rapidly  with  his  back  to  the 
door.  Dennis  waited  respectfully  till  the  facile  pen  glided 
through  the  sentence,  and  then  Mr.  Ludolph  looked  up. 
Dennis's  bearing  and  appearance  were  so  unmistakably 
those  of  a  gentleman  that  Mr.  Ludolph,  not  recognizing 
him  as  the  person  wh»  had  cleared  his  sidewalk,  rose  cour 
teously  and  said,  "  Did  you  wish  to  see  me  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  Dennis;  "I  understand  that  you 
dismissed  a  person  in  your  employ  this  afternoon.  I 
would  respectfully  apply  for  his  place,  if  it  is  not  prom 
ised." 

The  gentleman  smiled  and  said  :  "  You  a-re  mistaken,  I 
think.  I  discharged  a  drunken  Irishman,  who  had  been 
porter  and  man-of- all-work  about  the  store,  this  afternoon  ; 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  57 

but  I  have  no  place  vacant,  young  sir,  that  you  would  care 
to  fill." 

"  If  you  think  me  competent  to  fill  the  position  of  porter 
and  your  man-of -all-work,  I  would  be  very  glad  to  obtain  it ; 
that  is,  if  it  will  support  me  and  those  dependent  on  me." 

The  merchant  muttered  to  himself,  "  I  thought  he  was  a 
gentleman." 

Then,  as  this  was  a  business  matter  of  some  importance, 
he  caused  Dennis  to  stand  full  in  the  light,  while  he  with 
drew  somewhat  in  the  shadow,  and  gave  it  his  attention 
with  characteristic  shrewdness  and  caution. 

"  You  seem  rather  above  the  situation  you  ask  for,"  he 
said. 

"  I  am  not  above  it  in  circumstances,"  said  Dennis,  "  and 
it  certainly  is  better  than  shovelling  snow  all  day." 

"  Are  you  the  man  that  just  cleaned  my  sidewalk  ?" 

"lam,  sir." 

"  You  must  be  aware  that  your  general  appearance  is 
very  different  from  that  of  the  man  discharged  to-day,  and 
from  those  seeking  the  menial  place  in  question.  Can  you 
explain  this  fact  satisfactorily  ?" 

"  I  can  readily  explain  it,  and  I  hope  satisfactorily.  At 
any  rate  I  shall  be  perfectly  open  ;"  and  Dennis  told  him 
briefly,  but  plainly,  just  how  he  was  situated. 

As  the  keen  man  of  the  world  watched  with  the  closest 
scrutiny  the  honest  young  face,  he  believed  every  word. 
Accustomed  to  deal  with  all  classes  of  men  from  childhood,, 
he  had  learned  to  read  them  as  the  open  page  of  a  book. 

He  asked  coolly,  however,  "  Have  you  no  recommenda 
tions?" 

Dennis  produced  the  ministerial  letter,  which  Mr.  Lu- 
dolph  glanced  at  with  good-natured  contempt. 

"  This  is  all  right,"  he  said  ;  "  superstition  is  an  excellent 
thing  for  some  minds.  I  managed  Pat  a  year  through  his 
priest,  and  then  he  got  beyond  the  priest  and  me  too." 

This  undisguised  contempt  of  all  that  he  held  sacred,  and 


58  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

the  classing  of  true  faith  with  gross  superstition,  pained 
Dennis  ;  and  his  face  showed  it,  though  he  said  noth 
ing. 

"  There,"  said  the  gentleman,  "  I  did  not  mean  to  hurt 
your  feelings,  but  to  the  educated  in  our  land  these  things 
seem  very  childish." 

"  I  should  serve  you  none  the  worse,"  said  Dennis,  with 
quiet  dignity,  "  if  I  believed  that  the  duty  I  owed  to  you  I 
owed  also  to  God." 

Mr.  Ludolph  looked  as  if  a  new  idea  had  struck  him, 
smiled,  and  said  :  "  Most  people's  religion,  as  far  as  my  ex 
perience  has  gone,  is  not  6T  this  practical  kind.  But  I  be 
lieve  that  I  can  trust  you,  and  your  face  and  story  are 
worth  much  more  to  me  than  this  letter.  A  scamp  might 
possess  that  as  well  as  an  honest  youth  like  you,  Now,  as 
to  terms  :  I  will  give  you  forty  dollars  a  month  Tor  the  first 
two  months,  and  then,  if  you  develop  ana  take  well  to  tlx> 
work,  I  will  give  you  sixty." 

Dennis  thought  that  this,  with  close  economy,  woul-.t 
enable  him  to  live  and  support  his  mother  and  sisters,  and 
he  accepted  the  terms. 

"  Moreover,  to  show  the  advantage  of  telling  a  straight 
forward  story,  you  may  sleep  in  tne  store  :  the  building 
will  be  safer  for  having  some  one  in  it.  I  will  pay  you  at 
the  end  of  every  week  as  long  as  you  suit,  so  that  you  can 
commence  sending  something  to  your  mother  immediately. 
You  see  that  1  take  an  interest  in  you,"  said  the  shrewd 
man,  "  and  expect  you  to  take  an  interest  in  my  business, 
and  work  for  me  as  for  yourself." 

Simple,  honest  Dennis  could  not  see  that  Mr.  Ludolph 
i  cared  infinitely  more  for  himself  than  for  all  the  world 
*  combined,  and  made  it  his  life-study  to  get  the  most  out  of 
it  with  the  least  cost  to  himself.  Under  the  words  that 
seemed  so  kind  and  considerate,  the  young  man's  heart 
swelled  with  the  strong  and  grateful  purpose  to  spare  him 
self  in  no  way  IA  the  service  of  such  an  employer.  The 


BARRIERS  BURNED   AWAY.  W 

wily  man  saw  this,  and  smiled  to  himself  over  the  credulity 
of  mankind. 

"  Have  you  enough  to  last  till  next  Saturday  night  ?" 
he  asked. 

"  I  will  make  it  last,"  said  Dennis,  sturdily. 

"That  is  right,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph.  "{Stand  on  your 
own  feet  if  you  can.  I  never  give  any  more  help  than  will 
barely  enable  a  man  to  help  himself,," — a  maxim  which  had 
the  advantage  not  only  of  being  sound,  but  of  according 
exactly  with  his  disposition. 

After  a  moment's  thought,  Mr.  Ludolph  spoke  in  a  tone 
so  sharp,  and  a  manner  so  stern,  that  Dennis  was  startled. 

"  Mark  me,  young  man,  I  wish  a  plain  understanding  in 
one  respect :  you  take  Pat's  place,  and  I  expect  you  to  do 
Pat's  work.  I  wish  no  trouble  to  arise  from  your  being 
above  your  business." 

'*  You  will  have  none,"  said  Dennis,  quietly  and  firmly. 

"All  right,  then.  Mr.  Schwartz  will  show  you  about 
closing  up  the  store.  Be  here  early  Monday  morning,  aud 
remember  that  all  depends  upon  yourself." 

In  the  depths  of  his  grateful  heart  Dennis  felt  how  much 
the  success  of  that  day  and  every  day  of  life  depended  on 
God. 

Mr.  Ludolph  put  on  his  coat  and  gloves  and  went  out 
with  Dennis  into  the  store. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  he  to  his  clerks,  "  this  }7oung  man, 
Dennis  Fleet  by  name,  will  take  the  place  of  Pat  Murphy, 
discharged  to-^ay.  Mr.  Schwartz,  will  you  show  him  what 
it  is  necessary  to  do  to-night  ?  He  will  be  here  on  Monday 
morning  at  the  usual  time  for  opening  the  store,  and  after 
that  will  sleep  in  the  building." 

The  clerks  looked  at  him  for  a  moment,  as  they  might  at 
a  new  piece  of  furniture,  or  a  labor-saving  machine,  and 
then  coolly  finished  their  duties,  and  followed  their  em 
ployer.  Mr.  Schwartz  showed  him  about  closing  the  store, 
taking  care  of  the  furnace,  etc.,  and  Dennis  saw  that  his 


* 

60  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

place  was  no  sinecure.  ''  Still  it  was  not  work,  but  its  lack, 
that  he  dreaded,  and  his  movements  were  so  eager  and  ear 
nest  that  a  faint  expression  of  surprise  and  curiosity  tinged 
the  broad,  stolid  face  of  Mr.  Schwartz  ;  but  he  only  but 
toned  his  coat  to  the  chin  and  muttered,  "  New  broom," 
and  went  his  way  homeward,  leaving  Dennis  to  go  his. 


CHAPTER  X. 

^^^ 

THE  NEW  BROOM. 

THE  following  Sabbath  was  a  bright  winter  day  without, 
but  bright  summer  in  Dennis's  heart.  He  inquired  his 
way  to  a  neighboring  church,  and  every  word  of  prayer, 
praise,  and  truth  fell  on  a  glad,  grateful  spirit.  Returning, 
he  wrote  a  long  letter  to  his  mother,  telling  her  all  he  had 
passed  through,  especially  dwelling  on  the  truth  he  had 
discovered  of  God's  wish  to  make  this  life  happy  and  suc 
cessful,  as  well  as  the  life  beyond. 

In  closing,  he  wrote  :  "  Here  am  I,  Dennis  Fleet,  who  a 
few  days  since  thought  the  world  scarcely  large  enough 
for  what  I  meant  to  do,  standing  contentedly  and  gratefully 
in  Pat  Murphy's  shoes.  I  will  not  conceal  from  you,  speak 
ing  figuratively  (the  fates  forbid  that  it  should  be  literally 
true),  that  I  hope  to  outgrow  them,  and  arrive  at  some 
thing  better  before  many  months  pass.  In  the  mean  time  I 
am  indeed  thankful  for  the  means  of  winning  honest  bread 
for  us  all.  It  is  quite  a  come-down  from  the  classics  and 
law  to  the  position  of  porter  and  man-of-all-work  in  a  pic 
ture  and  music  store,  but  if  God  means  me  to  rise  He,  can 
lead  me  upward  from  my  lowly  standpoint  as  well  as  from 
the  most  favored  that  I  could  have  chosen  for  myself:  I 
have  learned  that  if  I  will  trust  Him  and  do  present  duty 
thoroughly,  He  will  not  forget  me." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY  61 

On  Monday  morning,  half  an  hour  before  the  specified 
time,  Dennis  stood  at  the  store.  Impatiently  he  walked  up 
and  down  before  what  would  become  the  scene  of  joys  and 
sorrows  such  as  he  had  never  before  experienced.  But  we 
will  not  anticipate. 

In  due  time  Mr.  Schwartz  appeared.  He  gave  Dennis  a 
cool  nod,  and  said,  "  Glad  to  see  you  so  prompt,"  then 
muttered  again  to  himself,  "  New  broom." 

In  Mr.  Schwartz's  slow,  plodding  soul  the  fire  of  enthu 
siasm  had  never  burned.  He  was  eminently  conservative, 
and  looked  with  wary  suspicion  on  anything  that  appeared 
like  earnestness.  In  the  midst  of  a  driving,  bustling  West 
ern  city,  he  stuck  in  the  mud  of  his  German  phlegm,  like 
a  snag  in  the  swift  current  of  the  Mississippi.  Yet  Mr, 
Ludolph  found  him  a  mort  valuable  assistant.  He  kept 
things  straight.  Under  his  minute  supervision  everything 
had  to  be  right  on  Saturday  night  as  well  as  on  Monday 
morning,  on  the  31st  of  December  as  well  as  on  the  1st  of 
January.  He  was  one  who  through  life  would  be  satisfied 
with  a  subordinate  position,  conscious  of  the  lack  of  enter 
prise  needful  to  push  his  own  w^ay  in  the  world.  His  pains 
taking,  methodical  spirit  was  just  the  kind  to  pervade  a 
large  warehouse  like  that  he  had  in  charge,  and  prevent 
loss  and  confusion  in  the  multiplicity  of  objects  it  contained. 
Pat's  careless  Irish  ways  had  vexed  his  soul  beyond  words, 
and  now  Dennis's  eager  manner  suggested  a  hare-brained 
Yankee  youth  who  would  raise  a  dust  for  a  week  and  then 
be  off  at  something  else.  He  was  therefore  cool  and  curt, 
seeking  by  frostiness  of  manner  to  nip  the  budding  enthu 
siasm  that  annoyed  him. 

Dennis  heeded  him  not,  but  bent  every  faculty  to  the 
mastery  of  the  duties  required  of  him.  He  was  to  mop 
out  the  store  with  damp  cloths,  so  as  to  raise  no  dust,  to 
look  after  the  furnace  and  graduate  the  heat  throughout 
the  building,  to  receive  boxes,  to  assist  in  packing  and  un 
packing  pianos  and  other  musical  instruments  that  occu- 


62  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

pied  part  of  the  upper  floors,  and  to  make  himself  gener 
ally  useful.  So  far  from  being  an  easy  position,  it  was  one 
that  required  great  strength  and  despatch,  and  these  had 
been  Pat's  qualities  save  when  drink  got  the  better  of  him. 
Tor  one  of  his  age,  Dennis  was  very  strong,  and  his  experi 
ence  in  helping  his  mother  in  household  duties  had  made 
him.  quick  and  dexterous,  where  most  young  men  would 
have  been  awkward  and  slow.  After  a  day  or  two  Mr. 
Schwartz  relaxed  his  grimness  somewhat,  for  if  Dennis 
worked  eagerly  he  also  worked  well  for  a  beginner.  Still 
it  would  require  several  years  of  well-doing  to  satisfy  old 
Schwartz  that  all  was  right.  But  Mr.  Ludolph,  with  his 
quick  insight  into  character,  watched  this  "  new  broom"  a 
few  days,  and  then  congratulated  himself  on  gaining  an 
other  decided  help  toward  the  object  nearest  his  heart. 

The  other  clerks  were  of  German  descent,  and  under  Mr. 
Schwartz's  rigid  system  each  one  filled  his  appropriate 
niche,  and  performed  carefully  the  duties  assigned. 

Even  to  Dennis's  uncultivated  eye  there  was  an  inartistic 
formality  about  the  whole  establishment.  Hisjsense  of  this' 
was  at  first  but  a  feeling, — a  vague  impression  that  grew 
upon  him  without  his  quite  knowing  why.  He  soon  dis 
covered,  however,  that  everything  was  arranged  squarely, 
according  to  system,  order,  and  not  with  a  view  of  placing 
in  the  best  lights  and  shadows  the  beautiful  things  to  be 
sold.  He  saw  that  Mr.  Ludolph  was  annoyed  by  the  same 
defect.  One  bright  day,  when  everything  stood  out  with 
glaring  distinctness,  he  seemed  provoked  beyond  measure 
by  this  inartistic  rigidity,  and  stormed  through  the  store 
at  a  great  rate. 

"  This  art  building  and  everybody  and  everything  in  it 
look  as  if  they  had  swallowed  a  ramrod,"  snarled  he. 
"  Mr.  Schwartz,  can't  you  teach  the  young  men  to  throw 
a  little  ease  and  grace  into  the  arrangement  of  the  articles 
under  their  charge  ?" 

Mr.  Schwartz  looked  at  him  with  a  blank,  impassive  face, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  63 

and  Ms  employer  felt  that  he  might  as  well  as'k  an  elephant 
to  teach  dancing. 

Turning  suddenly  on  a  stolid  youth,  he  exclaimed,  "  By 
the  gods  !  if  you  have  not  arranged  all  the  statuettes  on 
your  counter  in  straight  lines,  and  half  of  them  with  their 
backs  toward  the  door  at  which  our  customers  enter  ! 
Here,  gather  round  me  while  I  give  you  some  ideas  of  ar 
rangement." 

The  clerks  gathered  around  him,  while  with  hands  of  skill 
and  taste  he  placed  everything  artistically.  The  effect  of  a 
little  transposition  was  marvellous,  and  Mr.  Schwartz  ac 
knowledged  that  the  groups  looked  doubly  pretty  and  in 
viting.  Dennis  stood  at  a  respectful  distance,  but  was  a 
close  observer.  He  was  the  only  one  who  gained  much 
benefit  from  the  lesson,  because  the  only  one  capable  of  re 
ceiving  it.  With  quick,  appreciative  eye  he  saw  the  group* 
ing  needful  to  produce  the  desired  effect. 

As  Mr.  Ludolph  looked  up  he  caught  Dennis's  intelligent 
gaze. 

"  That  is  right,  Fleet,"  he  said  ;  "  you  learn,  too,  if  you 
can,  and  when  you  are  dusting  around  see  if  you  cannot 
combine  a  little  order  and  grace." 

From  that  day  forward  the  hand  and  taste  of  Dennis  Fleet 
gradually,  and  almost  imperceptibly  at  first,  gave  a  new 
aspect  and  created  a  new  atmosphere  in  the  "  Art  Build 
ing."  But  at  first  he  was  kept  busy  enough  at  his  humble 
routine  duties.  Every  one  felt  and  expressed  a  little  sur 
prise  at  his  getting  into  harness  so  quickly,  but  Mr. 
Schwartz's  influence  was  not  conducive  to  conversation  or 
emotions,  however  faint.  All  went  forward  quietly  ond 
orderly,  like  well-oiled  machinery.  Customers  received 
every  attention,  and  though  many  no  doubt  had  thp  unde 
fined  feeling  that  something  was  wrong  in  the  arrangement 
of  the  store,  each  found  an  abundance  of  beautiful  things 
suited  to  his  taste  and  purse,  and  so  trade  was  good,  even 
though  the  holiday  season  was  over. 


• 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


As  for  Dennis,  he  was  to  a  certain  extent  in  Paradise. 
Nature  had  given  him  a  deep,  earnest  love  of  the  beautiful, 
and  a  keen  perception  of  it. 

Though  his  days  were  busy  indeed,  he  found  time  gradu 
ally  to  study  every  pretty  .thing  in  the  store.  Though 
much  was  mystery  to  him  as  yet,  he  felt  that  he  had  crossed 
the  threshold  of  a  beautiful  world,  —  the  world  of  art. 
When  a  boy  in  New  England  he  had  taken  drawing-les 
sons,  and  had  shown  remarkable  aptness.  While  at  col 
lege,  also,  he  had  given  some  attention  to  drawing  and 
coloring,  but  circumstances  had  prevented  him  from  fol 
lowing  the  bent  of  his  taste.  Now  the  passion  awoke  with 
tenfold  force,  and  he  had  not  been  in  his  place  a  week  be 
fore  he  began  to  make  sketches  of  little  things  that  pleased 
him.  Some  of  the  pictures  and  bronzes  became  almost 
dear  because  of  the  pleasure  and  inspiration  that  they  occa 
sioned,  and  at  their  sale  his  feeling  was  akin  to  regret. 
Early  in  the  morning,  when  refreshed  and  brightened  by 
the  night's  rest,  he  would  walk  through  the  store  as  through 
fairy  -land,  and,  forgetting  that  he  was  a  humble  servitor, 
would  feel  as  if  all  were  his.  But  in  fact  was  juQ.t  his  pos 
session  truer  than  that  of  many  whose  palace  jyyulls  glow 
with  every  rich  gem  of  art,  and  yet  whose-eyes  are  blind 
and  their  hearts  dull  to  the  beauty  they  have  paid  for  ? 

A  few  days  after  his  arrival  a  little  incident  occurred  that 
was  hard  and  practical  enough,  and  might  justly  cause  him 
to  feel  that  he  occupied  a  humble  place,  not  only  in  the 
world  of  art,  but  in  the  world  in  general.  There  had  been 
a  day  of  rain,  slush,  and  mud.  One  of  the  younger  clerks 
had  been  sent  out  on  an  errand,  and  came  in  well  splashed. 
Drawing  off  his  boots,  he  threw  them  to  Dennis,  saying  : 
"  Here  you,  Fleet  !  black  my  boots  as  quick  as  you  can. 
I  must  go  out  again." 

Dennis  reddened,  and  for  a  moment  drew  himself  up  as 
.if  he  had  been  struck.  The  young  man  saw  it  and  said,  in 
a  loud,  coarse  tone  that  could  be  heard  by  several  custom- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  85 

ers  :  "Vat  I  you  above  your  biz?  I  thought  it  vould 
be  so." 

Dennis  acted  with  decision.  He  meant  to  have  the  mat 
ter  settled  at  once.  Picking  up  the  muddy  boots,  he 
marched  straight  into  Mr.  Ludolph's  office.  That  gentle 
man  looked  up,  impatient  at  interruption,  and  saw  his  man- 
of -all-work  standing  before  him  with  the  splashed  boots 
dangling  in  his  hands. 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ?"  asked  he,  sharply. 

"  Mr.  Berder  threw  me  those  boots  and  told  me  to  black 
them.  Is  this  a  part  of  my  duty  here  ?"  said  Dennis,  in  a 
firm,  quiet  tone. 

"  Curse  it  all  !'*  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  with  much  irritation  ; 
"  I  thought  there  would  be  trouble  with  your  uppishness. " 

"There  shall  be  no  trouble  whatever,"  said  Dennis; 
"  but  I  prefer  to  take  my  orders  from  you,  and  not  from 
Mr.  Berder.  If  you  say  this  is  expected,  the  disagreeable 
task  shall  be  done  as  well  as  I  can  do  it." 

Mr.  Ludolph  looked  sharply  at  the  young  man  for  a  mo 
ment  and  hesitated.  In  his  heart  he  felt  that  he  was  speak 
ing  to  a  gentleman,  and  that  it  was  not  the  thing  to  ask  of 
him  such  menial  work.  But  his  irritation  and  desire  to 
crush  out  anything  like  insubordination  prevailed.  Still, 
rather  than  directly  order  it,  he  appealed  to  the  custom  of 
the  past,  and  stepping  to  the  door  of  the  office  he  called  : 
"  Mr.  Schwartz,  come  here  !  Did  Pat  black  the  shoes  of 
the  gentlemen  of  this  store  ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  You  took  Pat  Murphy's  place,  did  you  not  ?'* 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Dennis. 

"It  seems  to  me,  then,  that  this  settles  the  question,** 
said  Mr.  Ludolph,  coolly,  turning  to  his  writing  ;  but  he 
furtively  and  carefully  watched  Dennis's  course. 

Determined  to  show  that  he  was  not  above  his  business, 
that  he  accepted  the  bitter  with  the  sweet,  Dennis  went  up 
stairs  to  his  room,  got  blacking  and  brush,  and  taking  his  sta- 


06  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY 

tion  in  a  corner  where  Mr.  Ludolph  could  plainly  see  him 
through  the  glass  doors  of  his  office,  he  polished  away  as 
vigorously  as  if  that  were  his  only  calling.  Mr.  Ludolph 
looked  and  smiled.  His  was  a  nature  that  could  be  pleased 
with  a  small  triumph  like  this.  But  the  other  clerks,  see 
ing  Mr.  Border's  success,  and  determining  to  do  their  part, 
also,  in  taking  Dennis  "  down  a  peg,"  as  they  expressed  it, 
brought  their  boots,  too,  and  Mr.  Berder  came  with  his  again 
in  the  afternoon.  Dennis  cleaned  and  polished  away  in 
full  view  of  Mr.  Ludolph,  who  began  to  realize  with  vexation 
that  his  man-of-all  work  would  have  little  time  for  the 
duties  of  the  store  if  he  were  installed  general  bootblack  of 
the  establishment.  But,  after  this,  cold  and  snow  kept  the 
streets  dry  and  clean  for  some  time,  and  the  matter  passed 
on  without  further  notice.  Boots  were  seldom  brought  to 
him,  and  when  they  were,  they  were  cleaned  without  a 
word.  In  the  mean  time,  his  ability  and  faithfulness  in  the 
discharge  of  his  regular  duties,  and  in  some  slight  degree 
his  taste  and  judgment,  began  to  be  recognized,  and  Mr. 
Ludolph  congratulated  himself  that  in  giving  Dennis  Pat 
Murphy's  place  he  had  made  a  decided  change  for  the 
better. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

TOO  MUCH    ALIKE. 

ONE  of  the  duties  that  Dennis  enjoyed  most  was  the 
opening  of  new  goods.  With  the  curiosity  and  pleasure  of 
a  child  he  would  unpack  the  treasures  of  art  consigned  to 
his  employer,  and  when  a  number  of  boxes  were  left  at  the 
front  door  he  was  eager  to  see  their  contents.  Daring  his 
first  three  weeks  at  the  store,  there  had  not  been  many  such 
arrivals  of  goods  and  pictures.  But  now  new  things  were 
coming  in  ;  and,  above  all.  Mr.  Ludolph  was  daily  expect 
ing  pictures  imported  directly  from  Europe, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  67 

One  afternoon  early  in  February  a  large  flat  box  waa 
brought  to  the  store.  Mr.  Ludolph  examined  its  marks, 
smiled,  and  told  Dennis  to  open  it  with  great  care,  cutting 
every  nail  with  a  chisel.  There  was  little  need  of  caution 
ing  him,  for  he  would  have  bruised  his  right  hand  rather 
than  mar  one  line  of  beauty. 

The  "  Art  Building"  contained  two  or  three  small  show 
rooms,  where  the  more  valuable  pictures  could  be  exhibited 
in  a  good  light.  Into  one  of  these  the  large  box  was  car 
ried,  and  most  carefully  opened.  The  two  clerks  who 
were  helping  Dennis  laughed  at  his  eager  interest,  and 
called  him  under  their  breath  a"  green  'un."  Mr.  Schwartz 
looked  upon  him  as  a  mild  sort  of  lunatic.  But  Mr.  Lu 
dolph,  who  stood  near,  to  see  if  the  picture  was  safe  and 
right,  watched  him  with  some  curiosity.  His  manner  was 
certainly  very  different  from  Pat  Murphy's  at  such  a  time, 
and  his  interest  both  amused  and  pleased  his  employer. 

When  at  last  the  picture  was  lifted  from  the  box  and 
placed  on  a  large  easel,  all  exclaimed  at  its  beauty  save 
Dennis.  On  looking  at  him,  they  saw  that  his  eyes  had 
filled  with  tears,  and  his  lips  were  quivering  so  that  he 
could  not  have  spoken. 

"Is  she  a  relation  of  yours?"  asked  Mr.  Schwartz,  in  a 
inatter-of-fact  tone. 

A  loud  laugh  followed  this  sally  from  such  an  unusual 
source.  Dennis  turned  on  his  heel,  left  the  room,  and 
busied  himself  with  duties  in  a  distant  part  of  the  store  the 
rest  of  the  day.  It  seemed  to  him  that  they  were  like  sav 
ages  bartering  away  gold  and  pearls,  whose  value  they 
could  not  understand  ;  much  less  could  they  realize  his 
possession  of  a  nature  of  exquisite  sensibility  to  beauty. 

When  all  were  gone  he  returned  to  the  room,  and  sat 
down  before  the  picture  in  rapt  attention.  It  was  indeed  a 
fine  work  of  art,  finished  in  that  painstaking  manner  char 
acteristic  of  the  Germans. 

The  painting  was  a  winter  scene  in  Germany.    In  the  far 


38  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

oackground  rose  wooded  and  snow-clad  hills.  Nearer  in 
the  perspective  was  a  bold  bluff,  surmounted  by  a  half- 
ruined  castle.  At  the  base  of  the  bluff  flowed  a  river,  now 
a  smooth  glare  of  ice,  and  in  the  distance  figures  were 
wheeling  about  upon  skates.  In  the  immediate  foreground 
were  two  persons.  One  was  a  lovely  young  girl,  dressed  in 
black  velvet  trimmed  with  ermine.  The  basque  fitted 
closely  to  her  person,  revealing  its  graceful  outlines,  and 
was  evidently  adapted  to  the  active  sport  in  which  she  was 
engaged.  While  the  rich  warm  blood  mantled  her  cheeks, 
the  snow  was  not  whiter  than  her  temples  and  brow. 
Down  her  shoulders  flowed  a  profusion  of  wavy  hair,  scat 
tered  threads  of  which  glistened  like  gold  in  the  slanting 
rays  of  the  sun.  Her  eyes,  of  a  deep  violet,  were  turned, 
in  sympathy  with  the  scorn  of  the  full,  smiling  mouth, 
upon  the  figure  of  a  young  man  kneeling  before  her,  mak 
ing  awkward  attempts  to  fasten  her  skate  to  the  trim  little 
foot.  It  was  evident  that  the  favor  was  too  much  for  him, 
and  that  his  fluttering  heart  made  his  hands  trembling  and 
unskilful.  But  the  expression  of  the  maiden's  face  clearly 
indicated  that  her  heart  was  as  cold  toward  him  as  the  ice 
on  which  he  knelt. 

The  extreme  beauty  of  the  picture  and  its  exquisite  finish 
fascinated  Dennis,  while  the  girl's  face  jarred  upon  his  feel 
ings  like  a  musical  discord.  After  gazing  fixedly  for  a  long 
time,  he  said,  "  What  possessed  the  man  to  paint  such 
a  lovely  face  and  make  its  expression  only  that  of  scorn, 
pride,  and  heartless  merriment  ?" 

All  the  long  night  the  face  haunted  and  troubled  him. 
He  saw  it  in  his  dreams.  It  had  for  him  a  strong  interest 
that  he  could  not  understand,— that  strange  fascination 
which  a  very  beautiful  thing  that  has  been  marred  and 
wronged  has  for  some  natures.  So  powerful  was  this  im 
pression  upon  his  sensitive  nature  that  he  caught  himself 
saying,  as  of  a  living  being,  "  O  that  I  could  give  to  that 
face  the  expression  God  meant  it  to  have  !" 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  69 

And  then  lie  laughed  at  his  own  folly. 

His  wakefulness  caused  him  to  oversleep  the  next  morn 
ing,  and  he  was  later  than  usual  in  getting  through  the 
routine  duties  of  the  store.  At  length,  about  nine  o'clock, 
dusty  and  begrimed  from  mopping,  feeding  the  furnace, 
etc.,  he  stood  with  duster  and  brush  in  hand  before  the 
painting  that  had  so  disturbed  his  rest.  He  was  in  his 
shirt-sleeves,  and  in  careful  economy  had  a  large  coarse 
apron  of  ticking  girded  about  his  person.  His  black  di 
shevelled  locks  looked  like  an  inverted  crow's  nest,  and 
altogether  he  was  unpresentable,  appearing  more  like  the 
presiding  divinity  of  a  dust-heap  than  of  an  "  Art  Building. " 

After  gazing  a  few  moments  on  the  scornful,  beautiful 
face  that  might  have  obtained  its  haughty  patrician  linea 
ments  from  the  old  barons  of  the  ruined  castle  just  above, 
he  seemed  to  grow  conscious  of  this  himself,  and  shrunk 
behind  the  picture  half  ashamed,  as  if  the  fair  girl  could 
see  him. 

While  engaged  in  cleaning  off  some  stains  and  marks 
upon  the  frame,  he  did  not  hear  a  light  footstep  in  the 
room.  Finishing  his  task,  he  stepped  out  from  behind  the 
picture  with  the  purpose  of  leaving  the  apartment,  when 
a  vision  met  his  gaze  which  startled  him  to  that  degree 
that  he  dropped  his  brush  and  duster  upon  the  floor,  and 
stood  transfixed.  There  before  him,  in  flesh  and  blood  it 
seemed,  stood  the  lady  of  the  picture, — the  same  dress, 
the  same  beautiful  blond  face,  and,  above  all,  the  same 
expression.  He  was  made  conscious  of  his  absurd  position 
by  a  suppressed  titter  from  the  clerks  at  the  door,  and  a 
broad  laugh  from  Mr.  Ludolph.  The  beautiful  face  turned 
toward  him  for  a  moment,  and  he  felt  himself  looked  over 
from  head  to  foot.  At  first  there  was  an  expression  of 
vexation  at  the  interruption,  and  then,  as  if  from  the  ludi- 
crousness  of  his  appearance,  the  old  laughing,  scornful  look 
returned.  Casting  a  quick,  furtive  glance  at  the  picture, 
which  seemed  to  satisfy  him,  Dennis,  with  hot  cheeks, 


70  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

gathered  up  his  tools  and  beat  a  hasty  retreat.  As  he 
passed  out,  Mr.  Ludolph  asked,  good-naturedly,  "Why, 
Fleet,  what  is  the  matter  ?" 

"Indeed,  sir,  I  hardly  know,"  answered  the  bewildered 
youth,  "but  it  seems  to  me  that  I  have  lost  my  wits  since 
that  picture  came.  For  a  moment  I  thought  that  the  lady 
on  the  canvas  had  stepped  out  upon  the  floor." 

"Now  that  you  speak  of  it,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Ludolph, 
advancing  into  the  room,  "  there  is  a  striking  resem 
blance." 

"Nonsense  !  father,"  Dennis  heard  the  young  lady  say  ; 
"you  are  too  old  to  flatter.  As  for  that  hare-brained  youth 
of  the  dust-brush,  he  looked  as  if  he  might  have  the  failing 
of  poor. Pat,  and  not  always  be  able  to  see  straight." 

At  this  Dennis's  cheeks  grew  hotter  still,  while  a  low 
laugh  from  one  or  two  of  the  clerks  near  showed  that  they 
were  enjoying  his  embarrassment. 

Dennis  hastened  away  to  his  room,  and  it  was  well  that 
he  did  not  hear  the  conversation  that  followed. 

"Oh,  no  !"  responded  Mr.  Ludolph,  "that  is  not  Den 
nis's  failing.  He  is  a  member  of  a  church  in  '  good  and 
regular  standing.'  He  will  be  one  of  the  'pillars  '  by  and 

by." 

"  You  are  always  having  a  fling  at  superstitionjmd  the 
superstitious/'  said  his  daughter,  laughingly.  "Is  that 
the  reason  you  installed  him  in  Pat's  place  V" 

"Can  you  doubt  it,  my  dear?"  replied  her  father,  in 
mock  solemnity. 

"  Well."  said  she,  "f  I  think  your  new  factotum  fails  de 
cidedly  in  good  manners,  if  nothing  else.  He  stared  most 
impudently  at  me  when  he  came  out  from  behind  the  pic 
ture.  I  should  have  reprimanded  him  myself  if  I  had  not 
been  so  full  of  laughter  at  his  ridiculous  appearance." 

That's  the  joke  of  it.  It  was  as  good  as  a  play  to  see 
him.  I  never  saw  a  man  more  startled  and  confused.  He 
evidently  thought  for  a  moment,  as  he  said,  that  the  girl 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  71 

in  Ike  painting  had  stepped  out  upon  the  floor/and  that 
you  were  she." 

"How  absurd  !"  exclaimed  his  daughter. 

"  Yes  ;  and  now  that  I  think  of  it,  he  glanced  from  you 
to  the  picture,  to  satisfy  himself  that  his  senses  were  not 
deceiving  him,  before  he  started  to  come  away." 

"I  cannot  see  any  special  resemblance,"  she  replied,  at 
the  same  time  inwardly  pleased  that  she  should  be  thought 
like  the  beautiful  creature  on  the  canvas. 

"  But  there  is  a  strong  resemblance/'  persisted  her  father, 
"  especially  in  general  effect.  I  will  prove  it  to  you.  There 
is  old  Schwartz  ;  he  is  not  troubled  with  imagination,  but 
sees  things  just  as  they  are.  He  would  look  at  you,  my 
dainty  daughter,  as  if  you  were  a  bale  of  wool,  and  judge 
as  composedly  and  accurately." 

"I  fear,  my.  father,"  replied  she,  smilingly,  "that  you 
have  conspired  with  him  to  pull  the  entire  bale  over  my 
eyes.  But  let  him  come." 

By  this  time  Dennis  had  returned,  and  commenced  dust 
ing  some  pictures  near  the  entrance,  where  he  could  see 
and  hear.  He  felt  impelled  by  a  curiosity  that  he  could 
not  resist.  Moreover  he  had  a  little  natural  vanity  in 
wishing  to  show  that  he  was  not  such  a  guy,  after  all.  It 
was  hard  for  him  to  remember  that  he  stood  in  Pat 
Murphy's  position.  What  difference  did  it  make  to  the 
lady  whether  such  as  he  was  a  fright  or  not  ? 

Mr.  Schwartz  entered,  and  at  Mr.  Ludolph's  bidding 
looked  at  the  living  and  the  painted  girl.  In  his  slow, 
sententious  tones,  one  could  not  help  feeling  that  he  was 
telling  just  how  things  appeared  to  him.  The  young  lady 
stood  beside  the  painting  and  unconsciously  assumed  the 
expression  of  her  fair  shadow.  Indeed  it  seemed  an  ex 
pression  but  too  habitual  to  her  face. 

"  Yes, ' '  he  said,  "  there  is  a  decided  resemblance — close 
in  dress— close  in  complexion— color  of  hair  much  the  same 
—eyes  much  alike— Miss  Ludolph  not  quite  so  tall,"  etc. 


72  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

Then  with  an  awkward  attempt  at  a  compliment,  like  an 
elephant  trying  to  execute  a  quickstep,  he  continued, — 

"  If  I  may  be  permitted  to  be  so  bold  as  to  speak— ex 
press  an  opinion — I  should  beg  leave  to  say  that  Miss 
Ludolph  favors  herself— more  favored— is  better-looking," 
he  blurted  out  at  last,  backing  out  of  the  door  at  the  same 
time,  with  his  brow  bathed  in  perspiration  from  the  throes 
of  this  great  and  unwonted  effort  at  gallantry. 

"Bah  !"  said  Dennis  to  himself,  "the  old  mole  left  out 
the  very  chief  thing  in  tracing  the  likeness,— the  expres 
sion  !  See  her  now  as  she  listens  to  his  awkward  attempt 
at  compliment.  She  is  looking  at  him  with  the  same  scorn 
ful,  laughing  face  that  the  girl  in  the  picture  wears  toward 
the  bungling  admirer  at  her  feet.  He  is  right  in  one  thing 
though,  she  is  better-looking." 

But  the  moment  Mr.  Schwartz's  bulky  figure  vanished 
from  the  door- way,  Miss  Ludolph  caught  the  critical,  in 
telligent  gaze  of  Dennis  Fleet,  and  the  expression  of  her 
face  changed  instantly  to  a  frown.  But,  to  do  her  justice, 
it  was  more  in  vexation  with  herself  than  with  him.  Her 
innate  delicacy  of  feeling  showed  her  that  it  looked  like 
small  vanity  to  be  standing  there  while  comparisons  like 
the  above  were  instituted.  Her  manner  at  once  became 
cold,  observant,  and  thoroughly  self-possessed.  She  stepped 
out  into  the  store,  and  by  a  few  keen,  critical  glances 
seemed  to  take  in  its  whole  effect.  Again  disapprobation 
clouded  her  fair  brow,  and  she  pronounced  audibly  but 
one  word,— "Stiff." 

Then  she  passed  into  her  father's  private  office. 


CHAPTER  XIL 

BLUE  BLOOD. 

DENNIS'S  mind  was  a  chaos  of  conflicting  feelings. 
picture  had  deeply  interested  him,  and  so  did  the  beautiful 


;iful 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  73 

girl  that  it  by  strange  coincidence  so  strongly  resembled. 
It  could  not  be  otherwise  with  one  of  his  beauty-loving 
nature.  And  yet  the  impression  made  by  the  face  in  the 
painting— of  something  wrong,  discordant— was  felt  more 
decidedly  in  respect  to  the  living  face. 

But  before  he  had  time  to  realize  what  had  just  passed 
the  lady  and  her  father  appeared  at  the  door  of  the  office, 
and  he  heard  the  latter  say  :  "  I  know  you  are  right,  my 
dear.  It's  all  wrong.  The  arrangement  of  the  store  is  as 
stiff  and  methodical  as  if  we  were  engaged  in  selling  mathe 
matical  instruments.  But  I  have  not  time  to  attend  to  the 
matter,  and  there  is  not  one  in  the  store  that  has  the  least 
idea  of  artistic  combination,  unless  it  is  Fleet.  I  have 
noticed  some  encouraging  symptoms  in  him." 

"  What !  he  of  the  duster  and  mop  ?  I  fear  our  case  is 
desperate,  then,  if  he  is  our  best  hope." 

Dennis's  cheeks  were  burning  again  ;  but,  turning  his 
back,  he  rubbed  away  harder  than  ever  at  a  Greek  god 
that  he  was  polishing.  But  they  gave  him  no  thought. 
Speaking  with  sudden  animation  the  young  lady  said, 
"  Father,  I  have  a  great  mind  to  try  it  myself, — that  is,  if 
you  are  willing." 

"  But,  my  daughter,  I  could  not  permit  you  to  be  en 
gaged  in  any  such  employment  before  our  customers." 

"  Certainly  not !  I  would  come  early  in  the  morning, 
before  art-customers  are  stirring.  I  really  should  enjoy 
the  task  greatly,  if  I  had  any  one  to  help  me  who  could  in 
some  faint  degree  comprehend  the  effects  I  wished  to  pro 
duce.  The  long  spring  mornings  soon  to  come  would  be 
just  the  time  for  it.  To  what  better  use  could  I  put  my 
taste  and  knowledge  of  art  than  in  helping  you  and  further 
ing  our  plan  for  life  ?" 

Mr.  Ludolph  hesitated  between  his  pride  and  his  strong 
desire  to  gain  the  advantages  which  the  acceptance  of  this 
offer  would  secure.  Finally  he  said  :  "  We  will  think 
About  it.  I  am  expecting  a  great  many  new  and  beautiful 


74  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

things  early  in  the  spring,  and  no  doubt  it  would  be  YV ell 
then  to  re-arrange, the  store  completely,  and  break  up  the 
rigid  system  into  which  we  have  fallen.  In  the  mean  time 
I  appreciate  your  offer,  and  thank  you  warmly." 

Dennis's  heart  leaped  within  him  at  the  thought  of  in 
struction  from  such  a  teacher,  and  he  longed  to  offer  his 
services.  But  he  rightly  judged  that  the  proposal  would 
be  regarded  as  an  impertinence  at  that  time.  The  suc 
cessor  of  Pat  Murphy  was  not  expected  to  know  anything 
of  art,  or  have  any  appreciation  of  it.  So  he  bent  his  head 
lower,  but  gave  Jupiter  Olympus  such  a  rubbing  down  as 
the  god  had  deserved  long  ago.  In  a  moment  more  Miss 
Ludolph  passed  him  on  her  way  out  of  the  store,  noticing 
him  no  more  than  she  did  his  dust-brush. 

Mr.  Ludolph  was  the  younger  son  of  a  noble  but  im 
poverished  German  family,  and  was  intensely  proud  of  his 
patrician  blood.  His  parents,  knowing  that  he  would  have 
to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world,  had  sent  him,  while  a 
mere  boy,  to  this  country,  and  placed  him  in  charge  of  a 
distant  relative,  who  was  engaged  in  the  picture-trade  in 
New  York.  He  had  here  learned  to  speak  English  in  his 
youth  with  the  fluency  and  accuracy  of  a  native,  but  had 
never  become  Americanized,  so  much  family  pride  had  he 
inherited,  and  so  strongly  did  he  cling  to  the  traditions  of 
his  own  land. 

He  showed  great  business  ability  in  his  chosen  calling, 
especially  displaying  remarkable  judgment  in  the  selection 
of  works  of  art.  So  unusual  was  his  skill  in  this  direc 
tion,  that  when  twenty-one  years  old  he  was  sent  abroad 
to  purchase  pictures.  For  several  years  he  travelled 
through  Europe.  He  became  quite  cosmopolitan  in  char 
acter,  and  for  a  time  enjoyed  life  abundantly.  His  very 
business  brought  him  in  contact  with  artists  and  men  of 
culture,  while  his  taste  and  love  of  beauty  were  daily  grati 
fied.  He  had  abundant  means,  and  money  could  open 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  75 

many  doors  of  pleasure  to  one  who,  like  him,  was  in-  vigor 
ous  health  and  untroubled  by  a  conscience.  Moreover,  he 
was  able  to  spend  much- time  in  his  beloved  Germany,  and 
while  there  the  great  ambition  of  his  life  entered  his  heart. 
His  elder  brother,  who  was  living  in  exclusive  pride  and 
narrow  economy  on  the  ancient  but  diminished  ancestral 
estate,  ever  received  him  graciously.  This  brother  had 
married,  but  had  not  been  blessed  or  cursed  with  children, 
for  the  German  baron,  with  his  limited  finances,  could 
never  decide  in  what  light  to  regard  them.  Too  poor  to 
mingle  with  his  equals,  too  proud  to  stoop  to  those  whom 
lie  regarded  as  inferiors,  he  had  lived  much  alone,  and 
grown  narrower  and  more  bigoted  in  his  family  pride  day 
by  day.  Indeed,  that  he  was  Baron  Ludolph,  was  the  one 
great  fact  of  his  life.  He  spent  hours  in  conning  over 
yellow,  musty  records  of  the  ancient  grandeur  of  his  house, 
and  would  gloat  over  heroic  deeds  of  ancestors  he  never 
thought  of  imitating.  In  brief,  he  was  like  a  small  barna 
cle  on  an  old  and  water-logged  ship,  that  once  had  made 
many  a  gallant  and  prosperous  voyage  richly  freighted, 
but  now  had  drifted  into  shallow  water  and  was  falling  to 
decay.  He  made  a  suggestion,  however,  to  his  younger 
brother,  that  wakened  the  ambition  of  the  latter's  stronger 
nature,  and  set  him  about  what  became  his  controlling 
purpose,  his  life-work. 

"Make  a  fortune  in  America,"  said  his  brother,  "and 
come  back  and  restore  the  ancient  wealth  and  glory  of 
your  family." 

The  seed  fell  into  receptive  soil,  and  from  that  day  the 
art  and  pleasure  loving  citizen  of  the  world  became  an 
earnest  man  with  a  purpose.  But  as  he  chose  his  purpose 
mainly  from  selfish  motives  it  did  not  become  an  ennobling 
one. .  He  now  gave  double  attention  to  business  and  practi 
cal  economy.  He  at  once  formed  the  project  of  starting 
in  business  for  himself,  and  of  putting  the  large  profits 
resulting  from  his  judicious  selection  of  pictures  into  his 


76  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

3wn  pocket.  He  made  the  most  careful  arrangements, 
and  secured  agencies  that  he  could  trust  in  the  purchase 
of  pictures  after  he  should  return  to  the  United  States. 

During  his  stay  in  Paris,  on  his  way  back,  an  event  oc 
curred  that  had  a  most  untoward  influence  on  his  plans 
and  hopes.  He  fell  desperately  in  love  with  a  beautiful 
French  woman.  Like  himself,  she  was  poor,  but  of  patri 
cian  blood,  and  was  very  fascinating.  She  attracted  him 
by  her  extreme  beauty  and  brilliancy.  She  was  very 
shrewd,  and  could  seem  anything  she  chose,  being  a  per 
fect  actress  in  the  false,  hollow  life  of  tfce  world.  In  ac 
cordance  with  Parisian  ideas,  she  wanted  a  husband  to  pay 
her  bills,  to  be  a  sort  of  protector  and  base  of  general  oper 
ations,  Here  was  a  man  who  promised  well,  fine-looking, 
and,  if  not  rich,  capable  of  making  large  sums  cf  money. 

She  insinuated  herself  into  his  confidence,  and  appeared 
to  share  his  enthusiasm  for  the  darling  project  of  his  life. 
He  felt  that,  with  such  a  beautiful  and  sympathetic  woman 
to  spur  him  on  and  share  his  success,  earth  would  be  a 
Paradise  indeed  ;  and  she  assured  him,  in  many  delicate 
and  bewitching  ways,  that  it  would.  In  brief,  he  married 
her  ;  and  then  learned,  in  bitterness,  anger,  and  disgust, 
that  she  had  totally  deceived  him.  To  his  passionate  love 
she  returned  indifference  ;  to  his  desire  for  economy,  un 
bounded  extravagance,  contracting  debts  which  he  must 
pay  to  avoid  disgrace.  She  showed  an  utter  unwillingness 
to  leave  the  gayety  of  Paris,  laughing  in  his  face  at  his 
plan  of  life,  and  assuring  him  that.she  would  never  live  in 
so  stupid  a  place  as  Germany.  His  love  died  hard.  He 
made  every  appeal  to  her  that  affection  prompted.  He 
tried  entreaty,  tenderness,  coldness,  anger,  but  all  in  vain. 
Selfish  to  the  core,  loving  him  not,  utterly  unscrupulous, 
she  trod  upon  his  quivering  heart  as  recklessly  as  .upon 
the  stones  of  the  street.  Soon  he  saw  that,  in  spite  of  his 
vigilance,  he  was  in  danger  of  being  betrayed  in  all  re 
spects.  Then  he  grew  hard  and  fierce.  The  whole  of  his 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  77 

strong  German  nature  was  aroused.  In  a  tone  and  manner 
that  startled  and  frightened  her,  he  said  :  "  We  sail  for 
New  York  in  three  days.  Be  ready.  If  you  prove  un 
faithful  to  me,— if  you  seek  to  desert  me,  I  will  kill  you. 
I  swear  it, — not  by  God,  for  I  don't  believe  in  Him.  If 
He  existed,  such  creatures  as  you  would  not.  But  I  swear 
it  by  my  family  pride  and  name,  which  are  dearer  to  me 
than  life,  if  you  leave  a  stain  upon  them  you  shall  die. 
You  need  not  seek  to  escape  me.  I  would  follow  'you 
through  the  world.  I  would  kill  you  on  the  crowded 
street,— anywhere,  even  though  I  died  myself  the  next 
moment.  And  now  look  well  to  your  steps." 

The  glitter  of  his  eye  was  as  cold  and  remorseless  as  the 
sheen  of  steel.  She  saw  that  he  meant  and  would  do  just 
what  he  said. 

The  woman  had  one  good  point, — at  least,  it  turned  out 
to  be  such  in  this  case.  She  was  a  coward  naturally,  and 
her  bad  life  made  her  dread  nothing  so  much  as  death. 
Her  former  flippant  indifference  to  his  remonstrances  now 
changed  into  abject  fear.  He  saw  her  weak  side,  learned 
his  power,  and  from  that  time  forward  kept  her  within 
bounds  by  a  judicious  system  of  terrorism. 

He  took  her  to  New  York  and  commanded  her  to  appear 
the  charming  woman  she  could  if  she  chose.  She  obeyed, 
and  rather  enjoyed  the  excitement  and  deceit.  His  friends 
were  delighted  with  her,  but  he  received  their  congratula 
tions  with  a  grim,  quiet  smile.  At  times,  though,  when 
she  was  entertaining  them  with  all  grace,  beauty,  and 
sweetness,  the  thought  of  what  she  was  seemed  only  a 
horrid  dream.  But  he  had  merely  to  catch  her  eye,  with 
its  gleam  of  fear  and  hate,  to  know  the  truth. 

He  felt  that  he  could  not  trust  to  the  continuance  of  her 
good  behavior,  and  was  anxious  to  get  away  among 
strangers  as  soon  as  possible.  He  therefore  closed  his  busi 
ness  relations  in  New  York.  Though  she  had  crippled  him 
greatly  by  her  extravagance,  he  had  been  able  to  bring  out 


78  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

a  fair  stock  of  good  pictures,  and  a  large  number  of  articles 
of  virtu,  selected  with  his  usual  taste.  The  old  firm,  find 
ing  that  they  could  not  keep  him,  offered  all  the  goods  he 
•wanted  on  commission.  So  in  a  few  weeks  he  started  for 
Chicago,  the  most  promising  city  of  the  West,  as  he 
believed,  and  established  himself  there  in  a  modest  way. 
Still  the  chances  were  even  against  him,  for  he  had  in 
volved  himself  heavily,  and  drawn  to  the  utmost  on  his 
credit  in  starting.  If  he  could  not  sell  largely  the  first 
year,  he  was  a  broken  man.  For  months  the  balance 
wavered,  and  he  lived  with  financial  ruin  on  one  side,  and 
domestic  ruin  on  the  other.  But,  with  a  heart  of  ice  and 
nerves  of  steel,  he  kept  his  hand  on  the  helm. 

His  beautiful  collection,  though  in  an  unpretentious 
store,  at  last  attracted  attention,  and  after  some  little  time 
it  became  the  thing  in  the  fashionable  world  to  go  there, 
and  from  that  time  forward  his  fortune  was  made. 

When  his  wife  became  a  mother,  there  was  a  faint  hope 
in  Mr.  Ludolph's  heart  that  this  event  might  awaken  the 
woman  within  her,  if  aught  of  the  true  woman  existed. 
He  tried  to  treat  her  with  more  kindness,  but  found  it 
would  not  answer.  She  mistook  it  for  weakness  on  his 
part.  From  first  to  last  she  acted  in  the  most  heartless 
manner,  and  treated  the  child  with  shameless  neglect. 
This  banished  from  her  husband  even  the  shadow  of  re 
gard,  and  he  cursed  her  to  her  face.  Thenceforth  will  and 
ambition  controlled  his  life  and  hers,  and  with  an  iron 
hand  he  held  her  in  check.  She  saw  that  she  was  in  the 
power  of  a  desperate  man,  who  would  sacrifice  her  in  a 
moment  if  she  thwarted  him. 

Through  cowardly  fear  she  remained  his  reluctant  but 
abject  slave,  pricking  him  with  the  pins  and  needles  of 
petty  annoyances,  when  she  would  have  pierced  him  to 
the  heart  had  she  dared.  This  monstrous  state  of  affairs 
could  not  last  forever,  and,  had  not  death  terminated  the 
unnatural  relation,  some  terrible  catastrophe  would  no 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  79 

doubt  have  occurred.  Having  contracted  a  western  fever i 
she  soon  became  delirious,  and  passed  away  in  this  uncon 
scious  state,  to  the  intense  joy  and  relief  of  her  husband. 

But  the  child  lived,  thrived,  and  developed  into  the 
graceful  girl  whose  beauty  surpassed,  as  we  have  seen, 
even  the  painter's  ideal.  Her  father  at  first  cared  little  for 
the  infant,  but  secured  it  every  attention.  As  it  developed 
into  a  pretty  girl,  however,  with  winning  ways,  and  rich 
promise,  he  gradually  associated 'her  with  his  hopes  and 
plans,  till  at  last  she  became  an  essential  part  of  his  am 
bition. 

His  plan  now  was  briefly  this  :  He  would  entangle  him 
self  with  no  alliances  or  intimate  associations  in  America, 
nor  would  he  permit  his  daughter  to  do  so.  His  only 
object  in  staying  here  was  the  'accumulation  of  a  large 
fortune,  and  to  this  for  a  few  years  he  would  bend  every 
energy  of  mind  and  body.  As  soon  as  he  felt  that  he  had 
sufficient  means  to  live  in  such  style  as  befitted  the  ancient 
and  honorable  name  of  his  family,  he  would  return  to  Ger 
many,  buy  all  he  could  of  the  ancestral  estate  that  from 
time  to  time  had  been  parted  with,  and  restore  his  house 
to  its  former  grandeur.  He  himself  would  then  seek  a 
marriage  connection  that  would  strengthen  his  social  posi 
tion,  while  his  daughter  also  should  make  a  brilliant  alli 
ance  with  some  member  of  the  nobility.  Mr.  Ludolph  was 
a  handsome,  well-preserved  man  ;  he  had  been  most  success 
ful  in  business,  and  was  now  more  rapidly  than  ever  accu 
mulating  that  which  is  truly  a  power  with  Europeans  of 
blue  blood,  as  with  democratic  Americans.  Moreover,  his 
daughter's  beauty  promised  to  be  such  that,  when  enhanced 
by  every  worldly  advantage,  it  might  well  command  atten 
tion  ia  the  highest  circles.  He  sought  with  scrupulous 
care  to  give  her  just  the  education  that  would  enable  her 
to  shine  as  a  star  among  the  high-born.  Art,  music,  and 
knowledge  of  literature,  especially  the  German,  were  the 
main  things  to  which  her  attention  was  directed,  and  in 


80  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

her  father,  with  his  richly  stored  mind,  faultless  taste,  and 
cultured  voice,  she  had  an  instructor  such  as  rarely  falls 
to  the  lot  of  the  most  favored. 

When  Christine  Ludolph  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age, 
events  occurred  which  might  have  greatly  marred  her 
father's  plans.  She  secretly  formed  a  most  unfortunate 
attachment,  which  came  near  resulting  in  a  clandestine 
marriage.  Although  the  world  would  have  judged  her 
harshly,  and  the  marriage  could  only  have  been  exceed 
ingly  disastrous  to  her  future  life,  the  motherless  girl  was 
not  very  much  to  blame.  Even  among  the  mature  there 
is  a  proverbial  blindness  in  these  matters.  She  was  im 
mature,  misled  by  her  imagination,  and  the  victim  of  un 
curbed  romantic  fancies.  But,  after  all,  the  chief  incen 
tive  to  her  folly  was  a  natural  craving  for  the  love  and 
sympathy  which  she  had  never  found  in  her  own  home. 
To  her  chilled  young  heart  these  gifts  were  so  sweet  and 
satisfying  that  she  was  in  no  mood  to  criticise  the  donor, 
even  had  her  knowledge  of  the  world* enabled  her  to  do 
so.  Thus  far,  in  his  care  of  Christine,  Mr.  Ludolph  had 
conformed  to  the  foreign  ideas  of  seclusion  and  repression, 
and  the  poor  girl,  unguided,  unguarded  by  kind  womanly 
counsel,  was  utterly  unsophisticated,  and  she  might  have 
easily  become  the  prey  of  the  unscrupulous  man  whose 
chief  incentive  had  been  her  father's  wealth.  Mr.  Ludolph 
fortunately  discovered  the  state  of  affairs  in  time  to  pre 
vent  gossip.  Under  his  remorseless  logic,  bitter  satire,  and 
ridicule  her  young  dream  was  torn  to  shreds.  The  man 
whom  she  had  surrounded  with  a  halo  of  romance  was 
shown  to  be  worthless  and  commonplace.  Her  idol  had 
chiefly  been  a  creature  of  the  imagination,  and  when  the 
bald,  repulsive  truth  concerning  him  had  been  proved  to 
her  in  such  a  way  that  she  could  not  escape  conviction, 
she  was  equally  disgusted  with  him  and  herself. 

For  some  weeks  Mr.  Ludolph  treated  his  daughter  with 
cold  distrust.     "She  will  be  like  her  mother,  I  suppose," 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  M 

he  thought.  "  Already  she  has  begun  to  deceive  me  and 
to  imperil  everything  by  her  folly  ;"  and  his  heart  was 
full  of  bitterness  toward  his  child.  Thus  the  poor  girl 
dwelt  in  a  chilled 'and  blighting  atmosphere  at  a  time  when 
she  most  sorely  needed  kindness  and  wise  guidance. 

She  was  very  unhappy,  for  she  saw  that  her  father  had 
lost  all  confidence  in  her.  She  fairly  turned  sick  when  she 
thought  of  the  past.  She  had  lived  in  the  world  of  romance 
and  mystery  ;  she  had  loved  with  all  her  girlish  power  ; 
and,  however  wrongly  and  unjustly,  by  the  inevitable  laws 
of  association  she  connected  the  words  "love"  and  " ro 
mance'  :  with  one  whom  she  now  detested  and  loathed. 
Within  a  week  after  her  miserable  experience  she  became 
as  utter  a  sceptic  in  regard  to  human  love,  and  happiness 
flowing  from  it,  as  her  father  had  taught  her  to  be  respect 
ing  God  and  the  joy  of  believing.  Though  seemingly  a 
fair  young  girl,  heru  father  had  made  her  worse  than  a 
pagan.  She  believea  in  nothing  save  art  and  her  father's 
wisdom.  He  seemed  to  embody  the  culture  and  worldly 
philosophy  that  now  became,  in  her  judgment,  the  only 
things  worth  living  for.  To  gain  his  confidence  became 
her  great  desire.  But  this  had  received  a  severe  shock. 
Mr.  Ludolph  had  lost  all  faith -in  everything  save  money 
and  his  own  will.  Religion  was  to  him  a  gross  supersti 
tion,  and  woman's  virtue  and  truth,  poetic  fictions.  ' 

He  watched  Christine  narrowly,  and  said  just  enough 
to  draw  out  the  workings  of  her  mind.  He  then  decided 
to  tell  his  plan  for  life,  and  give  her  strong  .additional 
motives  for  doing  his  will.  The  picture  he  portrayed  of 
the  future  dazzled  her  proud,  ambitious  spirit,  and  opened 
to  her  fancy  what  then  seemed  the  only  path  to  happiness. 
She  entered  into  his  projects  with  honest  enthusiasm,  and 
bound  herself  by  the  most  solemn  promises  to  aid  in  carry 
ing  them  out.  But  in  bitterness  he  remembered  one  who 
had  promised  with  seeming  enthusiasm  before,  and  he  dis 
trusted  his  daughter,  watching  her  with  lynx-eyed  vigilance. 


82  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

But  gradually  he  began  to  believe  in  her  somewhat,  as 
he  saw  her  looking  forward  with  increasing  eagerness  to 
the  heaven  of  German  fashionable  life,  wherein  she,  rich, 
admired,  allied  by  marriage  to  some  powerful  noble  family, 
should  shine  a  queen  in  the  world  of  art. 

"  I.  have  joined  her  aspirations  to  mine,"  he  said,  in  sclf- 
gratulation.  "  I  have  blended  our  ambitions  and  sources 
of  hope  and  enjoyment,  and  that  is  better  than  all  her 
promises. ' ' 

When  Dennis  saw  first  the  face  that  was  so  beautiful  and 
yet  so  marred  by  pride  and  selfishness,  Christine  was  about 
nineteen  years  old,  and  yet  as  mature  in  some  respects  as 
a  woman  of  thirty.  She  had  the  perfect  self-possession 
that  familiarity  with  the  best  society  gives.  Mr.  Ludolph 
was  now  too  shrewd  to  seek  safety  in  seclusion.  He  went 
with  his  daughter  into  the  highest  circles  of  the  city,  and 
Christine  had  crowds  of  admirers  «fiad  many  offers.  All 
this  she  enjoyed,  but  took  it  coolly  as  her  right,  with  the 
air  of  a  Greek  goddess  accepting  the  incense  that  rose  in 
her  temple.  She  was  too  proud  and  refined  to  flirt  in  the 
ordinary  sense  of  the  word,  and  no  one  could  complain 
that  she  gave  much  encouragement.  But  this  state  of 
things  was  all  the  more  stimulating,  and  each  one  believed, 
with  confidence  in  his  peculiar  attractions,  that  he  might 
succeed  where  all  others  had  failed.  Miss  Ludolph 's  ad 
mirers  were  unaware  that  they  had  a  rival  in  some  as  yet 
unknown  German  nobleman.  At  last  it  passed  into  a  prov 
erb  that  the  beautiful  and  brilliant  girl  who  was  so  free  and 
courtly  in  society  was  as  cold  and  unsusceptible  as  one  of 
her  father's  statues. 

Thus  it  would  seem  that  when  circumstances  brought 
the  threads  of  these  two  lives  near. each  other,  Dennis's 
and  Christine's,  the  mo.st  impassable  barriers  rose  between 
them,  and  that  the  threads  could  never  be  woven  together, 
or  the  lives  blended.  She  was  the  daughter  of  the  wealthy, 
aristocratic  Mr.  Ludolph  ;  lie  was  her  father's  porter. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  83 

Next  to  the  love  of  art,  pride  and  worldly  ambition  were 
her  strongest  characteristics.  She  was  an  unbeliever  in 
God  and  religion,  not  from  conviction,  but  from  training. 
She  knew  very  little  about  either,  and  what  light  she  had 
came  to  her  through  false  mediums.  She  did  not  even 
believe  in  that  which  in  many  young  hearts  is  religion's 
shadow,  love  and  romance,  nor  did  her  father  take  a  more 
worldly  and  practical  view  of  life  than  she. 

In  marked  .contrast  we  have  seen  the  character  of  Dennis 
Fleet,  drawing  its  inspiration  from  such  different  sources. 

Could  two  human  beings  be  more  widely  separated,— 
separated  in  that  which  divides  more  surely  than  conti 
nents  and  seas  ? 

Could  Dennis  have  seen  her  warped,  deformed  moral 
nature,  as  clearly  as  her  beautiful  face  and  form,  he  would 
have  shrunk  from  her  ;  but  while  recognizing  defects,  he 
shared  the  common  delusion,  that  the  lovely  outward  form 
and  face  must  enshrine  much  that  is  noble  and  ready  to 
blossom  into  good,  if  the  right  motives  can  be  presented. 

As  for  Christine,  she  had  one  chance  for  life,  one  chance 
for  heaven.  She  was  young.  Her  nature  had  not  so  hard 
ened  and  crystallized  in  evil  as  to  be  beyond  new  and  hap 
pier  influences. 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

VERY    COLD. 

WHEN  Dennis  entered  Mr.  Ludolph's  store  Christine  was 
absent  on  a  visit  to  New  York.  On  her  return  she  re 
sumed  her  old  routine.  At  this  time  she  and  her  father 
were  occupying  a  suite  of  rooms  at  a  fashionable  hotel. 
Her  school-days  were  over,  Mr.  Ludolph  preferring  to 
complete  her  education  himself  in  accordance  with  his 
peculiar  views  and  tastes.  She  was  just  passing  into  her 


84  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

twentieth  year,  and  looked  out  upon  the  world  from  the 
vantage  points  of  health,  beauty,  wealth,  accomplishments 
of  the  highest  order,  and  the  best  social  standing.  Assur 
ance  of  a  long  and  brilliant  career  possessed  her  mind, 
while  pride  and  beauty  were  like  a  coronet  upon  her  brow. 
She  was  the  world's  ideal  of  a  queen. 

And  yet  she  was  not  truly  happy.  There  was  ever  n 
frague  sense  of  unrest  and  dissatisfaction  at  heart.  She 
saw  that  her  father  was  proud  and  ambitious  in  regard  to 
her,  but  she  instinctively  felt  that  he  neither  loved  nor 
trusted  her  to  any  great  extent.  She  seemed  to  be  living 
in  a  palace  of  ice,  and  at  times  felt  that  she  was  turning 
into  ice  herself  ;  but  her  very  humanity  and  womanhood, 
deadened  and  warped  though  they  were,  cried  out  against 
the  cold  of  a  life  without  God  or  love.  In  the  depths  of 
her  soul  she  felt  that  something  was  wrong,  but  what,  she 
could  not  understand.  It  seemed  that  she  had  everything 
that  heart  could  wish,  and  that  she  ought  to  be  satisfied. 

She  had  at  last  concluded  that  her  restlessness  was  the 
prompting  of  a  lofty  ambition,  and  that  if  she  chose  she 
could  win  world-wide  celebrity  as  an  artist.  This,  with 
the  whole  force  of  her  strong  nature,  she  had  determined 
!  to  do,  and  for  over  two  years  had  worked  with  an  energy 
akin  to  enthusiasm.  She  had  resolved  that  painting  should 
be  the  solid  structure  of  her  success,  and  music  its  orna 
ment. 

Nor  were  her  dreams  altogether  chimerical,  for  she  had 
remarkable  talent  in  her  chosen  field  of  effort,  and  had 
been  taught  to  use  the  brush  and  pencil  from  childhood. 
She  could  imitate  with  skill  and  taste,  and  express  with 
great  accuracy  the  musical  thought  of  the  composer  ;  but 
she  could  not  create  new  effects,  and  this  had  already  begun 
to  trouble  her.  She  worked  hard  and  patiently,  determined 
to  succeed.  So  great  had  been  her  application  that  her 
father  saw  the  need  of  rest  and  change,  and  therefore  her 
visit  to  New  York.  She  had  now  returned  strengthened, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  8,* 

and  eager  for  her  former  studies,  and  resumed  them  with 
tenfold  zest. 

The  plan  of  re-arranging  the  store  on  artistic  principles 
daily  grew  in  favor  with  her.  It  was  just  the  exercise  of 
taste  she  delighted  in,  and  she  hoped  some  day  to  indulge 
it  on  palace  walls  that  would  be  her  own.  Her  father's 
pride  caused  him  to  hesitate  for  some  time,  but  she  said  : 
"  Why,  Chicago  is  not  our  home  ;  we  shall  soon  be  thou 
sands  of  miles  away.  You  know  how  little  we  really  care 
for  the  opinions  of  people  here  :  it  is  only  our  own  pride 
and  opinion  that  we  need  consult.  I  see  nothing  lowering 
or  unfeminine  in  the  work.  I  shall  scarcely  touch  a  thing 
myself,  merely  direct ;  for  surely  among  all  in  your  em 
ploy  there  must  be  one  or  two  pairs  of  hands  not  so  utterly 
awkward  but  that  they  can  follow  plain  instructions.  My 
taste  shall  do  it  all.  We  are  both  early  risers,  and  the 
whole  change  can  be  made  before  the  store  is  opened. 
Moreover,"  she  added  (with  an  expression  indicating  that 
she  would  have  little  difficulty  in  ruling  her  future  German 
castle,  and  its  lord  also),  "  this  is  an  affair  of  our  own. 
Those  you  employ  ought  to  understand  by  this  time  that  it 
is  neither  wise  nor  safe  to  talk  of  our  business  outside." 

After  a  moment's  thought  she  concluded:  "I  really 
think  that  the  proper  arrangement  of  everything  in  the 
store  as  to  light,  display,  and  effect,  so  that  people  of  taste 
will  be  pleased  when  they  enter,  would  add  thousands 
of  dollars  to  your  sales  ;  and  this  rigid  system  of  old 
Schwartz's,  which  annoys  us  both  beyond  endurance,  will 
be  broken  up." 

Won  over  by  arguments  that  accorded  with  his  inclina 
tions,  Mr.  Ludolph  gave  his  daughter  permission  to  carry 
out  the  plan  in  her  own  way. 

She  usually  accompanied  her  father  to  the  store  in  the 
morning.  He,  after  a  brief  glance  around,  would  go  to 
his  private  office' and  attend  to  correspondence.  She  would 
do  whatever  her  mood  prompted.  Sometimes  she  would 


86  BARRIERS  BURNED  'AW AT. 

sit  down  for  a  half-hour  before  one  picture  ;  again  she 
would  examine  most  critically  a  statue  or  a  statuette. 
Whenever  new  music  was  received,  she  looked  it  over  and 
carried  off  such  pieces  as  pleased  her  fancy. 

She  evidently  was  a  privileged  character,  and  no  one 
save  her  father  exercised  the  slightest  control  over  her 
movements.  She  treated  all  the  clerks,  save  old  Schwartz, 
as  if  they  were  animated  machines  ;  and  by  a  quiet  order, 
as  if  she  had  touched  a  spring,  would  set  them  in  motion 
to  do  her  bidding.  The  young  men  in  the  store  were  of 
German  descent,  and  rather  heavy  and  undemonstrative. 
Mr.  Schwartz's  system  of  order  and  repression  had  pretty 
thoroughly  quenched  them.  They  were  educated  to  the 
niches  they  filled,  and  seemed  to  have  no  thought  beyond  ; 
therefore  they  were  all  unruffled  at  Miss  Ludolph's  air  of 
absolute  sovereignty.  Mr.  Schwartz  was  as  obsequious  as 
the  rest,  but,  as  second  to  her  father  in  power,  was  per 
mitted  some  slight  familiarity.  In  fact  this  heavy,  stolid 
prime-minister  both  amused  and  annoyed  her,  and  she 
treated  him  with  the  caprice  of  a  child  toward  an  elephant, 
—at  times  giving  him  the  sugar-plum  of  a  compliment,  and 
oftener  pricking  him  with  the  pin  of  some  caustic  remark. 
To  him  she  was  the  perfection  of  womankind, — her  re 
served,  dispassionate  manner,  her  steady,  unwearied  prose 
cution  of  a  purpose,  being  just  the  qualities  that  he  most 
honored  ;  and  he  worshipped  her  reverently  at  a  distance, 
like  an  old  astrologer  adoring  some  particularly  bright  fixed 
star.  No  whisking  comets  or  changing  satellites  for  old 
Schwartz. 

As  for  Dennis,  she  treated  him  as  she  probably  had 
treated  Pat  Murphy,  and  for  several  days  had  no  occasion 
to  notice  him  at  all.  In  fact  he  kept  out  of  her  way, 
|  choosing  at  first  to  observe  rather  than  be  observed.  She 
,  f  became  an  artistic  study  to  him,  for  her  every  movement 
'  was  grace  itself,  except  that  there  was  no  softness  or  gentle 
ness  in  her  manner.  Her  face  fascinated  him  by  its  beauty, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  87 

though  its  expression  troubled  him, — it  was  so  unlike  his 
mother's,  so  unlike  what  he  felt  a  woman's  ought  to  be. 
But  her  eager  interest  in  that  which  was  becoming  so  dear 
to  him — art — would  have  covered  a  multitude  of  sins  in  his 
eyes,  and  with  a  heart  abounding  in  faith  and  hope,  not 
yet  diminished  by  hard  experience,  he  believed  that  the 
undeveloped  angel  existed  within  her.     But  he  remembered 
her  frown  when  she  had  first  noticed  his  observation  of 
her.     The  shrewd  Yankee  youth  saw  that  her  pride  would 
not  brook  even  a  curious  glance.     But  while  he  kepi  <it  a 
most  respectful  distance  he  felt  that  there  was  no  such 
wide  gulf  between  them  as  she  imagined.    By  birth  and  { 
education  he  was  as  truly  entitled  to  her  acquaintance  as  1    , 
the  young  men  who  sometimes  came  into  the  store  with  * ' 
her  and  whom  she  met  in  society.     Position  and  wealth  | 
were  alone  wanting,  and  in  spite  of  his  hard  experience/ 
and  lowly  work  he  felt  that  there  must  be  some  way  for 
him,  as  for  others,  to  win  these. 

He  longed  for  the  society  of  ladies,  as  every  rigbt-feeling 
young  man  does,  and  to  one  of  his  nature  the  grace  and 
beauty  of  woman  were  peculiarly  attractive.  If,  before 
she  came,  the  lovely  faces  of  the  pictures  had  filled  the 
place  with  a  sort  of  witchery,  and  created  about  him  an 
atmosphere  in  which  his  artist-soul  was  awakening  into  life 
and  growth,  how  much  more  would  it  be  true  of  this  living 
vision  of  beauty  that  glided  in  and  out  every  day  ! 

"She  does  not  notice  me,"  he  at  first  said  to  himself, 
' '  any  more  than  do  these  lovely  shadows  upon  the  canvas. 
Cut  why  need  I  care  ?  I  can  study  both  them  and  her, 
and  thus  educate  my  eye,  and  I  hope  my  hand,  to  imitate 
and  perhaps  surpass  their  perfections  in  time." 

But  this  cool,  philosophic  mood  did  not  last  long.  It 
might  answer  very  well  in  regard  to  the  pictures  on  the 
walls,  but  there  was  a  magnetism  about  this  living,  breath 
ing  woman  that  soon  caused  him  to  long  for  the  privilege 
of  being  near  her  and  speaking  to  her  of  that  subject  that 


S8  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

interested  them  both  so  deeply.  Though  he  had  never 
seen  any  of  her  paintings  to  know  them,  he  soon  saw  that 
she  was  no  novice  in  such  matters  and  that  she  looked  at 
works  of  art  with  the  eye  of  a  connoisseur.  In  revery  he 
had  many  a  spirited  conversation  with  her,  and  he  trusted 
that  some  day  his  dreams  would  become  real.  He  had  the 
romantic  hope  that  if  she  should  discover  his  taste  and 
strong  love  of  art  she  might  at  first  bestow  upon  him  a 
patronizing  interest  which  would  gradually  grow  into 
respect  and  acknowledged  equality. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

SHE   SPEAKS   TO   HIM. 

AFTER  the  plan  for  the  re-arrangement  of  the  store  had 
been  determined  upon,  Miss  Ludolph  began  to  study  its 
topography.  She  went  regularly  through  the  building, 
examining  closely  every  part  and  space,  sometimes  sketch 
ing  a  few  outlines  in  a  little  gilt  book.  Apparently  she 
was  seeking  by  her  taste  to  make  the  show-rooms  pictures 
in  themselves,  wherein  all  the  parts  should  blend  harmoni 
ously,  and  create  one  beautiful  effect.  Dennis  saw  what 
was  coming.  The  carrying-out  of  the  plan  he  had  heard 
discussed,  and  he  wished  with  intense  longing  that  he 
might  be  her  assistant.  But  she  would  as  soon  have 
thought  of  sending  for  Pat  Murphy.  She  intended  to 
select  one  of  the  older  clerks  to  aid  her.  Still  Dennis 
hoped  that  by  some  strange  and  happy  turn  of  fortune 
part  of  this  work  might  fall  to  him. 

Every  spare  moment  of  early  morning  and  evening  he 
spent  in  sketching  and  studying,  but  he  sadly  felt  the  need 
of  instruction,  and  of  money  to  buy  materials.  He  was 
merely  groping  his  way  as  best  he  might  ;  and  he  felt  that 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  89 

Miss  Ludolph  could  teach  him  so  much,  if  she  would  only 
condescend  to  the  task  !  He  was  willing  to  be  a  very 
humble  learner  at  first.  If  in  some  way  he  could  only 
make  known  his  readiness  to  pick  up  the  crumbs  of  knowl 
edge  that  she  might  be  willing  out  of  kindness  to  scatter 
in  his  path,  he  might  expect  something  from  ordinary  good 
nature. 

But  a  week  or  two  passed  without  his  receiving  so  much 
as  a  glance  from  those  cold  blue  eyes  that  rested  so  criti 
cally  on  all  before  them  ;  and  on  an  unlucky  day  in  March 
all  hope  of  help  from  her  vanished. 

Under  the  influence  of  spring  the  streets  were  again 
becoming  muddy,  and  his  duties  as  boot-black  increased 
daily.  He  had  arranged  to  perform  this  menial  task  in  a 
remote  corner  of  the  store,  as  much  out  of  sight  as  possi 
ble.  The  duty  had  become  still  more  disagreeable  since 
the  young  lady  haunted  the  place,  for  he  feared  she  would 
learn  to  associate  him  with  only  the  dust-brush  and  black 
ing-brush. 

Just  behind  where  he  usually  stood,  a  good  picture  had 
been  hung,  under  Mr.  Schwartz's  system,  simply  because 
it  accurately  fitted  the  space.  It  was  in  a  wretched  light, 
and  could  never  be  seen  or  appreciated  there.  Miss  Lu 
dolph  in  her  investigations  and  plannings  discovered  this 
at  a  time  most  unfortunate  for  poor  Dennis.  While  polish 
ing  away  one  morning,  he  suddenly  became  conscious  that 
she  was  approaching.  It  seemed  that  she  was  looking 
directly  at  him,  and  was  about  to  speak.  His  heart 
thumped  like  a  trip-hammer,  his  cheeks  burned,  and  a  blur 
came  over  his  eyes,  for  he  was  diffident  in  ladies'  presence. 
Therefore  he  stood  before  her  the  picture  of  confusion, 
with  a  big  boot  poised  in  one  hand,  and  the  polishing* 
brush  in  the  other.  With  the  instincts  of  a  gentleman, 
however,  he  made  an  awkward  bow,  feeling,  though,  that 
under  the  circumstances  his  politeness  could  only  appear 
ridiculous.  And  he  was  right.  It  was  evident  from  the 


90  BARRIERS  BURNED   AW  AT. 

young  lady's  face  that  her  keen  perception  of  the  ridicu 
lous  was  thoroughly  aroused.  But  for  the  sake  of  her 
own  dignity  (she  cared  not  a  jot  for  him),  she  bit  her  lip  to 
control  her  desire  to  laugh  in  his  face,  and  said,  rather 
sharply,  "  Will  you  stand  out  of  my  way  ?" 

She  had  spoken  to  him. 

He  was  so  mortified  and  confused  that  in  his  effort  to 
obey  he  partially  fell  over  a  bronze  sheep,  designed  to 
ornament  some  pastoral  scene,  and  the  heel  of  Mr. 
Schwartz's  heavy  boot  came  down  with  a  thump  that 
made  everything  ring.  There  was  a  titter  from  some  of 
the  clerks.  Mr.  Ludolph,  who  was  following  his  daughter, 
exclaimed,  "  What's  the  matter,  Fleet  ?  You  seem  rather 
unsteady,  this  morning,  for  a  church  member." 

For  a  moment  he  had  the  general  appearance  usually 
ascribed  to  the  sheep,  his  unlucky  stumbling-block.  But 
by  a  strong  effort  he  recovered  himself.  Deigning  no  re 
ply,  he  set  his  teeth,  compressed  his  lips,  picked  up  the 
boot,  and  polished  away  as  before,  trying  to  look  and  feel 
regardless  of  all  the  world.  In  fact  there  was  as  much 
pride  in  his  face  as  there  had  ever  been  in  hers.  But,  not 
noticing  him,  she  said  to  her  father  :  "  Here  is  a  specimen. 
Look  where  this  picture  is  hung.  In  boot-black  corner 
I  should  term  it.  It  would  not  sell  here  in  a  thousand 
years,  for  what  little  light  there  is  would  be  obscured  much 
of  the  time  by  somebody's  big  boots  and  the  artist  in 
charge.  It  has  evidently  been  placed  here  in  view  of  one 
principle  alone, — dimensions  ;  its  length  and  breadth  ac 
cording  with  the  space  in  the  corner.  You  will  see  what 
a*  change  I  will  bring  about  in  a  month  or  two,  after  my 
plans  are  matured  ;"  and  then  she  strolled  to  another  part 
of  the  store.  But,  before  leaving,  Miss  Ludolph  happened 
to  glance  at  Dennis's  face,  and  was  much  struck  by  its  ex 
pression.  Surely  Pat  Murphy  never  would  or  could  look 
like  that.  For  the  first  time  the  thought  entered  her  mind 
that  Dennis  might  be  of  a  different  clay  and  character  from 


BARRIERS  ^BURNED  AW  AT.  91 


But  the  next  moment  his  expression  of  pride  and 
offended  dignity,  in  such  close  juxtaposition  to  the  big 
boot  he  was  twirling  almost  savagely  around,  again  ap 
pealed  to  her  sense  of  the  ludicrous,  and  she  turned  away 
with  a  broad  smile.  Dennis,  looking  up,  saw  the  smile 
and  guessed  the  cause  ;  and  when,  a  moment  after,  Mr, 
Schwartz  appeared,  asking  in  his  loud,  blunt  way,  "My 
boots  ready?"  he  felt  like  flinging  both  at  his  head,  and 
leaving  the  store  forever.  Handing  them  to  him  without 
a  word,  he  hastened  upstairs,  for  he  felt  that  he  must  be 
alone. 

At  first  his  impulse  was  strong  to  rebel,  —  to  assert  that 
by  birth  and  education  he  was  a  gentleman,  and  must  be 
treated  as  such,  or  he  would  go  elsewhere.  But,  as  the 
tumult  in  his  mind  calmed,  the  case  became  as  clear  to  him 
as  a  sum  in  addition.  He  had  voluntarily  taken  Pat 
Murphy's  place,  and  why  should  he  complain  at  Pat's 
treatment  ?  He  had  pledged  his  word  that  there  should 
be  no  trouble  from  his  being  above  his  business,  and  he  re 
solved  to  keep  his  word  till  Providence  gave  him  better 
work  to  do.  He  bathed  his  hot  face  in  cool  water,  breathed 
a  brief  prayer  for  strength  and  patience,  and  went  back  to 
his  tasks  strong  and  calm. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

PROMOTED. 

LATE  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  (which  was  Sat 
urday),  as  Mr.  Ludolph  was  passing  out  of  the  store  on 
his  way  home,  he  noticed  the  table  that  he  had  arranged 
artistically  some  little  time  before,  as  a  lesson  to  his  clerks. 
Gradually  it  had  fallen  back  into  its  old  straight  lines  and 
rigid  appearance.  He  seemed  greatly  annoyed. 


92  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

"  What  is  the  use  of  re-arranging  the  store?"  he  mut 
tered.     "  They  will  have  it  all  back  again  on  the  general 
principle  of  a  ramrod  in  a  little  while.     But  we  have  put 
our  hands  to  this  work,  and  it  shall  be  carried  through, 
even  if  I  discharge  half  of  these  wooden-heads." 

Then  calling  the  clerk  in  charge,  he  said,  "  Look  here, 
Mr.  Berder,  I  grouped  the  articles  on  this  counter  for  ypu 
once,  did  I  not?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Let  me  find  them  Monday  morning  just  as  I  arranged 
them  on  that  occasion." 

The  young  man  looked  as  blank  and  dismayed  as  if  he 
had  been  ordered  to  swallow  them  all  before  Monday 
morning. 

He  went  to  work  and  jumbled  them  up  as  if  that  was 
grouping  them,  and  then  asked  one  or  two  of  the  other 
clerks  what  they  thought  of  it.  They  shook  their  heads, 
and  said  it  looked  worse  than  before. 

"  I  vill  study  over  him  all  day  to-morrow,  and  den  vill 
come  early  Monday  and  fix  him;"  and  the  perplexed 
youth  took  himself  off. 

Dennis  felt  almost  sure  that  he  could  arrange  it  as  Mr. 
Ludolph  had  done,  or  with  something  of  the  same  effect, 
but  did  not  like  to  offer  his  services,  not  knowing  how  they 
would  be  received,  for  Mr.  Berder  had  taken  a  special  de 
light,  in  snubbing  him. 

After  the  duties  of  the  store  were  over,  Dennis  wrote  to 
his  .mother  a  warm,  bright,  filial  letter,  portraying  the 
scene  of  the  day  in  its  comic  light,  making  all  manner  of 
fun  of  himself,  that  he  might  hide  the  fact  that  he  had 
suffered.  But  he  did  not  hide  it,  as  a  return  letter  proved, 
for  it  was  full  of  sympathy  and  indignation  that  her  son 
should  be  so  treated,  but  also  full  of  praise  for  his  Chris 
tian  manliness  and  patience. 

"  And  now,  my  son,"  she  wrote,  "  let  me  tell  you  of  at 
least  two  results  of  your  steady,  faithful  performance  of 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  93 

your  present  humble  duties.  The  money  you  send  so  regu 
larly  is  more  than  sufficient  for  our  simple  wants.  We 
have  every  comfort,  and  I  am  laying  something  by  for 
sickness  and  trouble,  for  both  are  pretty  sure  to  come 
before  long  in  this  world.  In  the  second  place,  you  have 
given  me  that  which  is  far  better  than  money, — comfort 
and  strength.  I  feel  more  and.more  that  we  can  lean  upon 
you  as  our  earthly  support,  and  not  find  you  a  '  broken 
reed.'  While  so -many  sous  are  breaking  their  mothers' 
hearts,  you  are  filling  mine  with  hope  and  joy.  I  am  no 
prophetess,  my  son,  but  from  the  sure  word  of  God  I  pre 
dict  for  you  much  happiness  and  prosperity  for  thus  cheer 
ing  and  providing  for  your  widowed  mother.  Mark  my 
words.  God  has  tried  you  and  not  found  you  wanting. 
He  will  soon  give  you  better  work  to  do, — work  more  in 
keeping  with  your  character  and  ability." 

This  prediction  was  fulfilled  before  Dennis  received  the 
letter  containing  it,  and  it  happened  on  this  wise. 

Early  on  Monday  morning  Mr.  Berder  appeared  and 
attempted  the  hopeless  task  of  grouping  the  articles  on  his 
table  in  accordance  with  Mr.  Ludolph's  orders.  After  an 
hour's  work  he  exclaimed  in  despair,  "  I  cannot  do  him  to 
save  my  life." 

Dennis  at  a  distance,  with  a  half-amused,  half-pitying 
face,  had  watched  Mr.  Border's  wonderful  combinations, 
and  when  Rip  Van  Winkle  was  placed  between  two  togated 
Roman  senators,  and  Ichabod  Crane  arranged  as  if  making 
love  to  a  Greek  goddess,  he  came  near  laughing  outright. 
But  when  Mr.  Berder  spoke  he  approached  and  said, 
kindly  and  respectfully,  "Will  you  let  me  try  to  help 
you  ?" 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Berder;  "you  cannot  make  dings 
vorse." 

Acting  upon  this  ungracious  permission,  Dennis  folded 
his  arms  and  studied  the  table  for  five  minutes. 

"  Gome,"  said  Mr.  Berder,  "  standing  dere  and  looking 


94  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

so  vise  as  an  owl  von't  help  matters.  Mr.  Ludolph  vill  be 
here  soon." 

"I  am  not  losing  time,"  said  Dennis  ;  and  a  moment 
proved  he  was  not,  for,  having  formed  a  general  plan  of 
arrangement,  he  went  rapidly  to  work,  and  in  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  could  challenge  Mr.  Ludolph  or  any  other  critic 
to  find  serious  fault. 

"  There  !  I  could  do  better  if  I  had  more  time,  but  I 
must  go  to  my  sweeping  and  dusting,  or  Mr.  Schwartz 
will  be  down  on  me,  and  he  is  pretty  heavy,  you  know. 
I  never  saw  such  a  man, — he  can  see  a  grain  of  dust  half 
across  the  store. ' ' 

Mr.  Berder  had  looked  at  Dennis's  quick,  skilful  motions 
in  blank  amazement,  and  then  broke  out  into  unwonted 
panegyric  for  him  :  "  I  say,  Vleet,  dot's  capital  !  Where 
you  learn  him?"  Then  in  a  paroxysm  of  generosity  he 
added,  "  Dere's  a  quarter  for  you." 

"No,  I  thank  you,"  said  Dennis  ;  "  I  did  not  do  it  for 
money." 

"  Vat  did  der  fool  do  it  for,  den,  I'd  like  to  know  ?" 
muttered  Mr.  Berder,  the  philosophy  of  his  life  resuming 
its  former  control.  "  Saved  a  quarter,  anyhow,  and,  vat's 
more,  know  vere  to  go  next  dime  der  old  man  comes  down 
on  me." 

A  little  after  nine  Mr.  and  Miss  Ludolph  came  in,  and 
paused  at  the  table.  Dennis,  unnoticed,  stood  behind 
Benjamin  Franklin  and  Joan  of  Arc,  placed  lovingly  to 
gether  on  another  counter,  face  to  face,  as  if  in  mutual 
admiration,  and  from  his  hiding-place  watched  the  scene 
before  him  with  intense  anxiety.  One  thought  only  rilled 
his  mind, — Would  they  approve  or  condemn  his  taste  ?  for 
he  had  arranged  the  table  on  a  plan  of  his  own.  His  heart 
gave  a  glad  bound  when  Mr.  Ludolph  said :  "  Why, 
Berder,  this  is  excellent.  To  be  sure  you  have  taken  your 
own  method,  and  followed  your  own  taste,  but  I  find  no 
fault  with  that,  when  you  produce  an  effect  like  this." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  95 

"I  declare,  father,"  chimed  in  Miss  Ludolph,  "this 
table  pleases  me  greatly.  It  is  a  little  oasis  in  this  great 
desert  of  a  store.  Mr.  Berder,  I  compliment  you  on  your 
taete.  You  shall  help  me  re-arrange,  artistically,  every 
thing  in  the  building." 

Dennis,  in  his  agitation,  came  near  precipitating  Benja 
min  Franklin  into  the  arms  pf  Joan  of  Arc,  a  position 
scarcely  in  keeping  with  either  character. 

"  Yes,  Christine,  that  is  true,"  continued  Mr.  Ludolph. 
"  Mr.  Berder  will  be  just  the  one  to  help  you,  and  I  am 
glad  you  have  found  one  competent.  By  all  the  furies  1 
just  compare  this  table  with  the  one  next  to  it,  where  the 
Past,  Present,  and  Future  have  not  the  slightest  regard 
for  each  other,  and  satyrs  and  angels,  philosophers  and 
bandits,  are  mixed  up  about  as  closely  as  in  real  life. 
Here,  Berder,  try  your  hand  at  this  counter  also  ;  and  you, 
young  men,  gather  round  and  see  the  difference  when  art, 
instead  of  mathematics,  rules  the  world  of  art.  If  this 
thing  goes  on,  we  shall  have  the  golden  age  back  again  in 
the  store." 

Mr.  Berder,  though  somewhat  confused,  had  received 
all  his  compliments  with  bows  and  smiles.  But  Dennis, 
after  his  thrill  of  joy  at  having  pleased  Mr.  and  Miss 
Ludolph's  fastidious  taste,  felt  himself  reddening  with 
honest  indignation  that  Mr.  Berder  should  carry  off  all  his 
laurels  before  his  face.  But  he  resolved  to  say  nothing, 
knowing  that  time  would  right  him.  When  Mr.  Ludolph 
asked  the  young  men  to  step  forward,  he  came  with  the 
others. 

"  That's  right,  Fleet,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  again,  "  you 
can  get  a  useful  hint,  too,  like  enough." 

"  Nonsense,  father,"  said  Miss  Ludolph,  in  a  tone  not  so 
low  but  that  Dennis  heard  it  ;  "  why  spoil  a  good  sweeper 
and  duster  by  putting  uppish  notions  in  his  head  ?  He 
keeps  the  store  cleaner  than  any  man  you  ever  had,  and 
I  don't  soil  my  dresses  as  I  used  to." 


96  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

Dennis's  color  heightened  a  little,  and  his  lips  closed 
more  firmly,  but  he  gave  no  other  sign  that  he  heard  this 
limitation  of  his  hope  and  ambition.  But  it  cut  him  rather 
deep.  The  best  he  could  ever  do,  then,  in  her  view,  was 
to  keep  her  dresses  from  being  soiled. 

In  the  mean  time  Mr.  Berder  had  shown  great  embarrass 
ment  at  Mr.  Ludolph's  unexpected  request.  After  a  few 
moments  of  awkward  hesitation  he  stammered  out  that  he 
could  do  it  better  alone.  The  suspicion  of  keen  Mr.  Lu- 
dolph  was  at  once  aroused  and  he  persisted  :  "  Oh,  come, 
Mr.  Berder,  we  don't  expect  you  to  do  your  best  in  a 
moment,  but  a  person  of  your  taste  can  certainly  make  a 
great  change  for  the  better  in  the  table  before  you." 

In  sheer  desperation  the  entrapped  youth  attempted  the 
task,  but  he  had  not  bungled  five  minutes  before  Mr. 
Ludolph  said,  sharply,  "  Mr.  Berder,  you  did  not  arrange 
this  table." 

"  Veil,"  whined  Mr.  Berder,  "  I  didn't  say  dot  I  did." 

"  You  caused  me  -to  believe  that  you  did,"  said  Mr. 
Ludolph,  his  brow  growing  dark.  "  Now,  one  question, 
and  I  wish  the  truth  :  Who  did  arrange  this  table  ?" 

"  Vleet,  dere,  helped  me,"  gasped  Mr.  Berder^ 

"  Helped  you  ?  Mr.  Fleet,  step  forward,  if  you  please, 
for  I  intend  to  have  the  truth  of  this  matter.  How  much 
help  did  Mr.  Berder  give  you  in  arranging  this  table  ?" 

"None,  sir,"  said  Dennis,  looking  straight  into  Mr. 
Ludolph's  eyes. 

All  looked  with  great  surprise  at  Dennis,  especially  Miss 
Ludolph,  who  regarded  him  most  curiously.  "  How  differ 
ent  he  appears  from  Pat  Murphy  !"  she  again  thought. 

"Some  one  has  told  a  lie,  now,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph, 
sternly.  "  Mr.  Fleet,  I  shall  put  you  to  the  same  test  that 
Berder  failed  in.  Arrange  that  counter  sufficiently  well  to 
prove  that  it  was  your  hands  that  arranged  this." 

Dennis  stepped  forward  promptly,  but  with  a  pale  face 
and  comprised  lips.  Feeling  that  both  honor  and  success 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  97 

were  at  stake,  he  grouped  and  combined  everything  as 
before,  as  far  as  the  articles  would  permit,  having  no  time 
to  originate  a  new  plan.  As  he  worked,  the  clerks  gazed 
in  open  astonishment,  Mr.  Ludolph  looked  significantly  at 
his  daughter,  while  she  watched  him  with  something  of 
the  same  wonder  which  we  have  when  one  of  the  lower 
animals  shows  human  sagacity  and  skill. 

Mr.  Ludolph  was  Napoleonic  in  other  respects  than  his 
ambition  and  selfishness.  He  was  shrewd  enough  to  "  pro 
mote  on  the  field  for  meritorious  services."  Therefore,  as 
Dennis's  task  approached  completion,  he  said  :  "  That  will 
do,  Mr.  Fleet,  you  can  finish  the  work  at  your  leisure. 
Mr.  Berder,  you  are  discharged  from  this  day  for  decep 
tion.  I  would  have  borne  with  your  incompetency  if  you 
had  been  truthful.  But  I  never  trust  any  one  who  has  de 
ceived  me  once,"  he  said,  so  sternly  that  even  Christine's 
cheek  paled.  "  Mr.  Schwartz  will  settle  with  you,  and  let 
me  never  see  or  hear  from  you  again.  Mr.  Fleet,  I  pro 
mote  you  to  Mr.  Border's  counter  and  pay." 

Thus  this  man  of  the  world,  without  a  thought  of  pity, 
mercy,  or  kindly  feeling  in  either  case,  gave  one  of  his 
clerks  a  new  impetus  toward  the  devil,  and  another  an 
important  lift  toward  better  things,  and  then  went  his  way, 
congratulating  himself  that  all  things  had  worked  together 
for  his  good,  that  morning,  though  where  he  would  find 
another  Dennis  Fleet  to  fill  Pat's  place,  again  vacant,  he 
did  not  know.  ^ 

But  Miss  Ludolph  looked  at  Dennis  somewhat  kindly, 
and  with  a  little  honest  admiration  in  her  face.  He  was 
very  different  from  what  she  had  as  a  matter  of  course 
supposed  him  to  be,  and  had  just  done  in  a  quiet,  manly 
way  a  thing  most  pleasing  to  her,  so  she  said  with  a  smile 
that  seemed  perfectly  heavenly  to  him,  "  You  are  above 
blacking  boots,  sir." 


98  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

JUST   IN   TIME. 

AT  the  close  of  the  day  on  which  Dennis  received  his 
promotion,  and  his  horizon  was  widened  so  unexpectedly, 
Mr.  Ludolph,  in  passing  out,  noticed  him  engaged  as  usual 
on  one  of  Pat  Murphy's  old  tasks  He  stopped  and  spoke 
kindly,  "  Well,  Fleet,  where  am  I  going  to  rind  a  man  to 
fill  your  place  made  vacant  to-day  ?" 

"  Would  you  be  willing  to  listen  to  a  suggestion  from 
me?" 

«  Certainly." 

"If  a  young  boy  was  emploved  to  black  boots,  run 
errands,  and  attend  to  minor  matters,  I  think  that  by  in 
dustry  I  might  for  a  while  fill  both  positions.  In  a  short 
time  the  furnace  will  require  no  further  attention.  I  am 
a  very  early  riser,  and  think  that  by  a  little  good  manage 
ment  I  can  keep  the  store  in  order  and  still  be  on  hand  to 
attend  to  my  counter  when  customers  are  about." 

Mr.  Ludolph  was  much  pleased  with  the  proposition, 
and  said,  promptly,  "  You  may  try  it,  Fleet,  and  I  will 
pay  you  accordingly.  Do  you  know  of  a  boy  who  will 
answer  ?" 

"  I  think  I  do,  sir,  There  is  a  German  lad  in  my  missioL 
class  who  has  interested  me  very  much.  His  father  is 
really  a  superior  artist,  but  is  throwing  himself  away  with 
drink,  and  his  mother  is  engaged  in  an  almost  hopeless 
effort  to  support  the  family.  They  have  seen  much  better 
days,  and  their  life  seems  very  hard  in  contrast  with  the 
past." 

"  Can  we  trust  such  a  boy  ?  Their  very  necessities  may 
lead  to  theft." 

"  They  are  not  of  the  thieving  sort,  sir.  I  am  satisfied 
that  they  would  all  starve  rather  than  touch  a  penny  that 
did  not  belong  to  them." 


CARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  99 

"  Very  well,  then,  let  Mm  come  and  see  me  ;  but  I  will 
hold  you  responsible  for  him." 

Mr.  Ludolph,  being  in  a  good  humor,  was  disposed  to 
banter  Dennis,  so  he  added  :  "  Do  you  find  time  to  be  a 
missionary,  also  ?  Are  you  not  in  danger  of  becoming  a 
1  Jaek-at  all  trades'?" 

"  I  am  not  entitled  to  the  first  character,  and  hope  to 
shun  the  latter.  I  merely  teach  a  dozen  boys  in.  a  mission 
school  on  Sundays." 

^WTTen  you  ought  to  be  taking  a  good  long  nap,  or  & 
row  on  the  lake  for  fresh  air  and  recreation." 

"  I  should  be  dishonest  if  I  spent  my  Sabbaths  in  that 
way." 

"  How  so  ?" 

"  I  should  give  the  lie  to  my  profession  and  belief.     1    . 
must  drop  the  name  of  Christian  when  I  live  for  myseit. 

^rAnd  if  you  sKould  drop  it,  do  you  think  you  would  b& 
much  the  loser  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Dennis,  with  quiet  emphasis. 

"  You  are  expecting  gieat  reward,  in  some  sort  of  Para 
dise,  for  your  mission  work,  etc.?" 

"  Nothing  done  for  God  is  forgotten  or  unrewarded. rf 

"  Believing  that,  it  seems  to  me  that  you  are  looking 
after  self-interest  as  much  as  the  rest  of  us,"  said  his  em<  / 
ployer,  with  a  shrewd  smile. 

Looking  straight  into  Mr.  Ludolph's  eyes,  Dennis  said, 
earnestly  :  "  Without  boasting,  I  think  that  I  can  say  that 
I  try  to  serve  you  faithfully.  If  you  could  see  my  heart, 
I  am  sure  you  would  find  that  gratitude  for  your  kindness 
is  a  part  of  my  motive,  as  well  as  my  wages.  In  the  same 
manner,  while  I  do  not  lose  sight  of  the  rich  rewards  God 
promises  and  daily  gives  for  the  little  I  can  do  for  Him, 
I  am  certain  that  I  can  do  much  out  of  simple  gratitude 
and  love,  and  ask  no  reward." 

"  Ignorance  is  certainly  bliss  in  your  case,  young  maiL. 
Stick  to  your  harmless  superstition  as  long  as  you  can." 


100  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

And  he  walked  away,  muttering  :  "  Delusion,  delusion  ! 
I  have  not  said  a  word  or  done  a  thing  for  him  in  which 
I  had  not  in  view  my  interests  only,  and  yet  the  poor  young 
fool  sees  in  the  main  disinterested  kindness.  Little  trouble 
have  the  wily  priests  in  imposing  on  such  victims,  and  so 
they  get  their  hard-earned  wages  and  set  them  propagating 
the  delusion  in  mission  schools,  when  mind  and  body  need 
change  and  rest.  Suppose  there  is  a  Supreme  Being  in 
the  universe,  what  a  monstrous  absurdity  to  imagine  that 
He  would  trouble  Himself  to  reward  this  Yankee  youth 
for  teaching  a  dozen  ragamuffins  in  a  tenement-house  mis 
sion  school  1" 

Thus  Mr.  Ludolph's  soliloquy  proved  that  his  own  pride 
and  selfishness  had  destroyed  the  faculty  by  which  he 
could  see  God.  The  blind^are  not  more  oblivious  to  color 
than  he  was  to  those  IJTvirTe  qualities  which  are  designed 
to  win  and  enchain  the  heart.  A  man  may  sadly  mutilate 
his  own  soul. 

At  a  dainty  dinner-table  Mr.  Luilolph  and  his  daughter 
discussed  the  events  of  the  clay. 

"  I  am  glad,"  said  the  latter,  "  that  he  is  willing  to  fill 
Pat's  place,  for  he  keeps  everything  so  clean.  A  dusty, 
slovenly  store  is  my  abomination.  Then  it  shows  that  he 
has  no  silly,  uppish  notions  so  common  to  these  Ameri 
cans."  (Though  born  here,  Miss  Ludolph  never  thought 
herself  other  than  a  German  lady  of  rank.)  "But  I  do 
not  wish  to  see  him  blacking  boots  again.  Yet  he  is  an 
odd  genius.  How  comical  he  looked  bowing  to  me  with 
one  of  Mr.  Schwartz's  big  boots  describing  a  graceful 
curve  on  a  level  with  his  hracl.  Let  old  Schwartz  black 
his  own  boots.  He  ought  to  as  a  punishment  for  carrying 
around  so  much  leather.  This  Fleet  must  have  seen  better 
days.  He  is  like  all  Yankees,  however,  sharp  after  the 
dollar,  though  he  seems  more  willing  to  work  for  it  than 
most  of  them." 

"I'll   wager  you  a  pair   of  gloves,"  said  her  father, 


BARRIERS  B  URNED:  AW^  Ti  1  <s-l 

"  that  they  get  a  good  percentage  of  it  down  at  the  mission 
school.  He  is  just  the  subject  for  a  cunning  priest,  be 
cause  he  sincerely  believes  in  their  foolery.  He  belongs 
to  a  tribe  now  nearly  extinct,  I  imagine,— the  mar 
tyrs,  who  in  old-fashioned  times  died  for  all  sorts  of  delu 
sions.  " 

"  How  time  mellows  and  changes  everything  !  There 
is  something  heroic  and  worthy  of  art  in  the  ancient  mar 
tyrdoms,  while  nothing  is  more  repulsive  than  modem 
fanaticism.  It  is  a  shame,  though,  that  this  young  man, 
with  mother  and  sisters  to  support,  should  be  robbed  of 
his  hard  earnings  as  was  Pat  Murphy  by  his  priest,  and 
I  will  try  to  open  his  eyes  some  day." 

"  I  predict  for  you  no  success." 

"  Why  so  ?— he  seems  intelligent." 

"  I  have  not  studied  character  all  my  life  in  vain.  He 
would  regard  you,  my  fair  daughter,  as  the  devil  in  the 
form  of  an  angel  of  light  tempting  him." 

"  He  had  better  not  be  so  plain-spoken  as  yourself." 

"  Oh,  no  need  of  Fleet's  speaking  ;  his  face  is  like  the 
page  of  an  open  book." 

"  Indeed  !  a  face  like  a  sign-board  is  a  most  unfortunate 
one,  I  should  think." 

"  Most  fortunate  for  us.  I  wish  I  could  read  every  one 
as  I  can  Fleet." 

"  You  trust  no  one,  I  believe,  father." 

"  I  believe  what  I  see  and  know." 

"  I  wish  I  had  your  power  of  seeing  and  knowing.  But 
how  did  he  get  his  artistic  knowledge  and  taste  ?" 

"  That  I  have  not  inquired  into  fully,  as  yet.  I  think  he 
has  an  unusual  native  aptness  for  these  things,  and  gains 
hints  and  instruction  where  others  would  see  nothing. 
And,  as  you  say,  in  the  better  clays  past  he  may  have  had 
some  advantages." 

"Well,"  said  she,  caressing  the  greyhound  beside  her, 
"  if  Wolf  here  should  go  to  the  piano  and  execute  an  opera, 


102  FARRIERS 'BURNED  AWAY. 

,-/ 
•     •' 

I  should  not  have  been  more  astonished  than  I  was  this 
morning." 

And  then  their  conversation  glided  off  on  other  topics. 

After  dessert,  Mr.  Ludolph  lighted  a  cigar  and  sat  down 
to  the  evening  paper,  while  his  daughter  evoked  from  the 
piano  true  after-dinner  music, — light,  brilliant,  mirth-in 
spiring.  Then  both  adjourned  to  their  private  billiard- 
room. 

The  scene  of  our  story  now  changes  from  Mr.  Ludolph's 
luxurious  apartments  in  one  of  the  most  fashionable  hotels 
in  the  city  to  a  forlorn  attic  in  De  Koven  Street.  It  is  the 
scene  of  a  struggle  as  desperate,  as  heroic,  against  as 
tremendous  odds,  as  was  ever  carried  on  in  the  days  of  the 
Crusades.  But  as  the  foremost  figure  in  this  long,  weary 
conflict  was  not  an  armed  and  panoplied  knight,  but  merely 
a  poor  German  woman,  only  God  and  the  angels  took 
much  interest  in  it.  Still  upon  this  evening  she  was  almost 
vanquished.  She  seemed  to  have  but  one  vantage-point 
left  on  earth.  For  a  wonder,  her  husband  was  compara- 
» tively  sober,  and  sat  brooding  with  his  head  in  his  hands 
I  over  the  stove  where  a  fire  was  slowly  dying  out.  The 
llast  coal  they  had  was  fast  turning  to  ashes.  From  a 
cradle  came  a  low,  wailing  cry.  It  was  that  of  hunger. 
On  an  old  chest  in  a  dusky  corner  sat  a  boy  about  thirteen. 
Though  all  else  was  in  shadow,  his  large  eyes  shone  with 
unnatural  brightness,  and  followed  his  mother's  feeble 
efforts  at  the  wash-tub  with  that  expression  of  premature 
sadness  so  pathetic  in  childhood.  Under  a  rickety  deal 
table  three  other  and  smaller  children  were  devouring  some 
crusts  of  bread  in  a  ravenous  way,  like  half-famished 
young  animals.  In  a  few  moments  they  came  out  'and 
clamored  for  more,  addressing — not  their  father  ;  no  intui 
tive  turning  to  him  for  support — but  the  poor,  overtasked 
mother.  The  boy  came  out  of  his  corner  and  tried  to  draw 
them  off  and  interest  them  in  something  else,  but  they 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

were  like  a  pack  of  hungry  little  wolves.  The  boy's  fare 
was  almost  as  sharp  and  famine-pinched  as  his  mother's, 
but  he  seemed  to  have  lost  all  thought  of  himself  in  his 
sorrowful  regard  for  her.  As  the  younger  children  clam 
ored  and  dragged  upon  her,  the  point  of  endurance  was 
passed,  and  the  poor  woman  gave  way.  With  a  despair 
ing  cry  she  sunk  upon  a  chair  and  covered  her  face  with 
her  apron. 

"O  mine  Gott,  0  mine  Gott,"  she  cried,  "I  can  do  not 
von  more  stroke  if  ve  all  die." 

In  a  moment  her  son  had  his  arms  around  her  neck,  and 
said  :  "  O  moder,  don't  cry,  don't  cry.  Mr,  Fleet  said 
God  would  surely  help  us  in  time  of  trouble  if  we  would 
only  ask  Him." 

"I've  ask  Him,  and  ask  Him,  but  der  help  don't  come. 
I  can  do  no  more  ;"  and  a  tempest  of  despairing  sobs 
shook  her  gaunt  frame. 

The  boy  seemed  to  have  got  past  tears,  and  just  fixed 
his  large  eyes,  full  of  reproach  and  sorrow,  on  his  father- 

The  man  rose  and  turned  his  bloodshot  eyes  slowly 
around  the  room.  The  whole  scene,  with  its  meaning, 
seemed  to  dawn  upon  him.  His  mind  was  not  so  clouded 
by  the  fumes  of  liquor  but  that  he  could  comprehend  the 
supreme  misery  of  the  situation.  He  heard  his  children 
crying — fairly  howling  for  bread.  He  saw  the  wife  he  had 
sworn  to  love  and  honor,  where  she  had  fallen  in  her  un 
equal  conflict,  brave,  but  overpowered.  He  remembered 
the  wealthy  burgher's  blooming,  courted  daughter,  whom 
he  had  lured  away  to  marry  him,  a  poor  artist.  He  re 
membered  how,  in  spite  of  her  father's  commands  and  her 
mother's  tears,  she  had  left  home  and  luxury  to  follow 
him  throughout  the  world  because  of  her  faith  in  him  and 
love  for  him,— how  under  her  inspiration  he  had  risen  to 
great  promise  as  an  artist,  till  fame  and  fortune  became 
almost  a  certainty,  and  then,  under  the  debasing  influence 
of  his  terrible  appetite,  he  had  dragged  her  down  and 


.04  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWA*. 


down,  till  now  he  saw  her— prematurely  old,  brdken  in 
health,  broken  in  heart— fall  helplessly  before  the  hard 
drudgery  that  she  no  longer  had  strength  to  perform. 
With  a  sickening  horror  he  remembered  that  he  had  taken 
even  the  pittance  she  had  wrung  from  that  wash-tub,  to 
feed,  not  his  children,  but  his  accursed  appetite  for  drink 
Even  his  purple,  bloated  face  grew  livid  as  all  the  past 
rushed  upon  him,  and  despair  laid  an  icy  hand  upon  his 
heart. 

A  desperate  purpose  formed  itself  within  his  mind. 

Turning  to  the  wall  where  hung  a  noble  picture,  a  lovely 
landscape,  whose  rich  coloring,  warm  sunlight,  and  rural 
peace  formed  a  sharp,  strange  contrast  with  the  meagre, 
famine-stricken  apartment,  he  was  about  to  take  it  down 
from  its  fastening  when  his  hand  was  arrested  by  a  word, 
— "  Father  !" 

He  turned,  and  saw  his  son  looking  at  him  with  his  great 
eyes  full  of  horror  and  alarm,  as  if  he  were  committing  a 
murder. 

"  I  tell  you  I  must,  and  I  vill,"  said  he,  savagely. 

His  wife  looked  up,  sprung  to  his  side,  and  with  her 
hands  upon  his  arm,  said,  "  No,  Berthold,  you  must  not, 
you  shall  not  sell  dot  picture." 

He  silently  pointed  to  his  children  crying  for  bread. 

"  Take  der  dress  off  my  back  to  sell,  but  not  dot  picture. 
Ve  may  as  veil  die  before  him  goes,  for  ve  certainly  vill 
after.  Dot  is  de  only  ding  left  of  der  happy  past.  Dot, 
in  Gott's  hands,  is  my  only  hope  for  der  future.  Dot  pic 
ture  dells  you  vat  you  vas,  vat  you  might  be  still  if  you 
vould  only  let  drink  alone.  Many's  der  veary  day,  many's 
der  long  night,  I've  prayed  dot  dot  picture  vould  vin  you 
back  to  your  former  self,  ven  tears  and  sufferings  vere  in 
vain.  Leave  him,  and  some  day  he  vill  tell  you  so  plain 
vat  you  are,  and  vot  you  can  be,  dot  you  break  der  horrid 
spell  dot  chains  you,  and  your  artist-soul  comt  again. 
Leave  him,  our  only  hope,  and  sole  bar  against  despair 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  105 

and  death.  I  vill  go  and  beg  a  dousand  times  before  dot 
picture's  sold  ;  for  if  he  goes,  your  artist-soul  no  more 
come  back,  and  you're  lost,  and  ve  all  are  lost." 

The  man  hesitated.  His  good  angel  was  pleading  with 
him,  but  in  vain. 

Stamping  his  foot  with  rage  and  despair,  he  shouted, 
hoarsely,  "  It  is  too  late  ;  I  am  lost  now." 

And  he  tore  the  picture  from  its  fastening.  His  wife 
sunk  back  against  the  wall  with  a  groan  as  if  her  very 
soul  were  departing. 

But  before  his  ra?h  steps  could  leave  the  desolation  he 
had  made,  he  was  confronted  by  the  tall  form  of  Dennis 
Fleet, 

The  man  stared  at  him  for  a  moment  as  if  he  had  been 
an  apparition,  and  then  said,  in  a  hard  tone,  "Let  me 
pass !" 

Dennis  had  knocked  for  some  time,  but  such  was  the  ex 
citement  within  no  one  had  regarded  the  sound.  He  had, 
therefore,  heard  the  wife's  appeal  and  its  answer,  and  fron? 
what  he  knew  of  the  family  from  his  mission  scholar,  the 
boy  Ernst,  comprehended  the  situation  in  the  main. 
When,  therefore,  matters  reached  the  crisis,  he  opened  the 
door  and  met  the  infatuated  man  as  he  was  about  to  throw 
away  the  last  relic  of  his  former  self  and  happier  life. 
With  great  tact  he  appeared  as  if  he  knew  nothing,  and 
quietly  taking  a  chair  he  sat  down  with  his  back  against 
the  door,  thus  barring  egress.  In  a  pleasant,  affable  tone, 
he  said  :  "  Mr.  Bruder,  I  came  to  see  you  on  a  little  busi 
ness  to-night.  As  I  was  in  something  of  a  hurry,  and  no 
one  appeared  to  hear  my  knock,  I  took  the  liberty  of  com 
ing  in." 

The  hungry  little  ones  looked  at  him  with  their  round 
eyes  of  childish  curiosity,  and  for  a  time  ceased  their 
clamors.  The  wife  sunk  into  a  chair  and  bowed  her  head 
in  her  hands  with  the  indifference  of  despair.  Hope  had 
gone.  A  gleam  of  joy  lighted  up  Ernst's  pale  face  at  the 


106  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

sight  of  his  beloved  teacher,  and  he  stepped  over  to  his 
mother  and  commenced  whispering  in  her  ear,  but  she 
heeded  him  not.  The  man's  face  wore  a  sullen,  dangerous, 
yet  irresolute  expression.  It  was  evident  that  he  half 
believed  that  Dennis  was  knowingly  trying  to  thwart  him, 
and  such  was  his  mad  frenzy  that  he  was  ready  for  any 
desperate  deed. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

KESCUED. 

IN  a  tone  of  suppressed  excitement,  which  he  tried  in 
Tain  to  render  steady,  Mr.  Bruder  said  :  "  You  haf  der 
advantage  of  me,  sir.  I  know  not  your  name.  Vat  is 
more,  I  am  not  fit  for  bissiness  dis  night.  Indeed,  I  haf 
important  bissiness  elsewhere.  You  must  excuse  me,"  he 
added,  sternly,  advancing  toward  the  door  with  the  picture. 

"Pardon  me,  Mr.  Bruder,"  said  Dennis,  politely.  "I 
throw  myself  entirely  on  your  courtesy,  and  must  ask  as  a 
very  great  favor  that  you  will  not  take  away  that  picture 
till  I  see  it,  for  that,  in  part,  is  what  I  came  for.  I  am  in 
the  picture  trade  myself,  and  think  I  am  a  tolerably  fair 
judge  of  paintings.  I  heard  accidentally  you  had  a  fine 
one,  and  from  the  glimpse  I  catch  of  it,  I  think  I  have  not 
been  misinformed.  If  it  is  for  sale,  perhaps  I  can  do  as 
well  by  you  as  any  one  else.  I  am  employed  in  Mr. 
Ludolph's  great  store,  the  *  Art  Building.'  You  probably 
know  all  about  the  place." 

"  Yes,  I  know  him,"  said  the  man,  calming  down  some 
what. 

"And  now,  sir,"  said  Dennis,  with  a  gentle,  winning 
courtesy  impossible  to  resist,  "  will  you  do  me  the  favor  of 
showing  me  your  picture  ?" 

He  treated  poor  Bruder  as  a  gentleman,  and  he,  having 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW*.'*  107 

really  been  one,  was  naturally  inclined  to  return  like  cour 
tesy.  Therefore  he  said,  "  Oh,  certainly,  since  you  vish  to 
see  him.  I  suppose  I  might  as  veil  sell  him  to  you  as  any 
von  else." 

Mr.  Bruder  was  a  man  of  violent  impulses,  and  his  mad 
excitement  was  fast  leaving  him  under  Dennis's  cool,  busi 
ness-like  manner.  To  gain  time  was  now  the  great  de 
sideratum. 

The  picture  having  been  replaced  upon  the  wall,  Mr. 
Bruder  held  the  lamp  so  as  to  throw  upon  it  as  good  a 
light  as  possible. 

Dennis  folded  his  arms  calmly  and  commenced  ite  study. 
He  had  meant  to  act  a  part, — to  pretend  deep  interest  and 
desire  for  long  critical  study, — that  he  might  secure  more 
time,  but  in  a  few  moments  he  became  honestly  absorbed 
in  the  beautiful  and  exquisitely  finished  landscape. 

The  poor  man  watched  him  keenly.  Old  associations 
and  feelings,  seemingly  long  dead,  awoke.  As  he  saw 
Dennis  manifest  every  mark  of  true  and  growing  appre 
ciation,  he  perceived  that  his  picture  was  being  studied  by 
a  discriminating  person.  Then  his  artist-nature  began  to 
quicken  into  life  again.  His  eyes  glowed,  and  glanced 
rapidly  from  Dennis  to  the  painting,  back  and  forth,  fol 
lowing  up  the  judgment  on  each  and  every  part  which  lie 
saw  written  in  the  young  man's  face.  As  he  watched,, 
something  like  hope  and  exultation  began  to  light  up  his 
sullen,  heavy  features  ;  thought  and  feeling  began  to  spir 
itualize  and  ennoble  what  but  a  little  before  had  been  so 
coarse  and  repulsive. 

Ernst  was  looking  at  Dennis  in  rapt  awe,  as  at  a  mes 
senger  from  heaven. 

The  poor  wife,  who  had  listened  in  a  dull  apathy  to  the 
conversation,  raised  her  head  in  sudden  and  intelligent  in 
terest  when  the  picture  wras  replaced  upon  the  wall.  It 
seemed  that  her  every  hope  was  bound  up  in  that.  As 
she  saw  Dennis  and  her  husband  standing  before  it,—  as. 


108  HARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

she  saw  the  face  of  the  latter  begin  to  assume  something 
of  its  former  look, — her  whole  soul  came  into  her  great 
blue  eyes,  and  she  watched  as  if  more  than  life  were  at 
stake. 

If  that  meagre  apartment,  with  its  inmates,  their  con 
trasts  of  character,  their  expressive  faces,  could  have  then 
been  portrayed,  it  would  have  made  a  picture  with  power 
to  move  the  coldest  heart. 

At  last  Dennis  drew  a  long  breath,  turned  and  gave  his 
.  jhand   to   the   man,   saying  with  hearty   emphasis,   "  Mr. 
jBruder,  you  are  an  artist." 

The  poor  man  lifted  his  face  to  heaven  with  the  same 
expression  of  joy  and  gratitude  that  had  rested  on  it  long, 
long  years  ago,  when  his  first  real  work  of  merit  had  re 
ceived  similar  praise. 

His  wife  saw  and  remembered  it,  and,  with  an  ecstatic 
cry  that  thrilled  Dennis's  soul,  exclaimed,  "  Ah  !  mine 
Gott  be  praised  !  mine  Gott  be  praised  !  his  artist-soul 
come  back  !"  and  she  threw  herself  on  her  husband's 
neck,  and  clung  to  him  with  hysteric  energy.  The  man 
melted  completely,  and  bowed  his  head  upon  his  wife's 
shoulder,  while  his  whole  frame  shook  with  sobs. 

"I  will  be  back  in  half  an  hour,"  said  Dennis,  hastily, 
brushing  tears  from  his  own  eyes.  "  Come  with  me, 
Ernst." 

At  the  foot  of  the  stairs  Dennis  said  :  "  Take  this  money, 
Ernst,  and  buy  bread,  butter,  tea,  milk,  and  coal,  also  a 
nice  large  steak,  for  I  am  going  to  take  supper  with  you 
to-night.  I  will  stay  here  and  watch,  for  your  father  must 
not  be  permitted  to  go  out." 

"Oh,  Gott  bless  you!  Gott  bless  you!"  said  the  boy, 
and  he  hurried  away  to  do  his  errand. 

Dennis  walked  up  and  down  before  the  door  on  guard. 
Ernst  soon  returned,  and  carried  the  welcome  food  up 
stairs.  After  a  little  time  he  stole  down  again  and  said  : 
"Father's  quiet  and  queer  like.  Mother  has  given  the 


BARRIERS  BURNED   AWAY.  109 

children  a  good  supper  and  put  them  to  bed.     Better  come 
now." 

"  In  a  few  moments  more  ;  you  go  back  and  sit  down 
quietly  and  say  nothing." 

After  a  little  Dennis  went  up  and  knocked  at  the  door. 
Mrs.  Bruder  opened  it,  and  held  out  her  hand.  Her  quiver 
ing  lips  refused  to  speak,  but  .her  eyes  filled  with  grateful 
tears.  The  children  were  tucked  away  in  bed.  Ernst 
crouched  by  the  fire,  eating  some  bread  and  butter,  for  he 
was  cold  and  half -famished.  Mr.  Bruder  sat  in  the  dusky 
corner  with  his  head  in  his  hands,  the  picture  of  dejection. 
But,  as  Dennis  entered,  he  rose  and  came  forward.  He 
tried  to  speak,  but  for  a  moment  could  not.  At  last  he 
said,  hoarsely  :  "  Mr.  Vleet,  you  haf  done  me  and  mine  a 
great  kindness.  No  matter  vat  the  result  is,  I  dank  you 
as  I  never  danked  any  living  being.  I  believe  Gott  sent , 
you,  but  L  fear  too  late.  You  see  before  you  a  miserable 
wreck.  For  months  and  years  I  haf  been  a  brute,  a  devil. 
l3ot  picture  dere  show  you  vat  I  vas,  vat  1  might  haf  been. 
You  see  vat  I  am,"  he  added,  with  an  expression  of  intense 
loathing.  I  see  him  all  to-night  as  if  written  in  letters  of 
fire,  and  if  dere  is  a  vorse  hell  dan  der  von  I  feel  vithin  my 
soul,  Gott  only  knows  how  I  am  to  endure  him." 

"  Mr.  Bruder,  you  say  I  have  done  you  a  favor." 

"  Gott  knows  you  haf." 

"  I  want  you  to  do  me  one  in  return.     I  want  you  to  let 
me  be  your  friend,"  said  Dennis,  holding  out  his  hand. 

The  man  trembled,  hesitated  ;  at  last  he  said,  brokenly, 
"  I  am  not  fit— to  touch— your  hand." 

"  Mr.  Bruder,"  said  Dennis,  gently,  "  I  hope  that  I  am  a 
Christian." 

"  Still  more,  den,  I  am  unfit  efer  to  be  in  your  pres 
ence." 

"  What !  am  I  greater  than  my  Master  ?  Did  not  Christ 
take  the  hand  of  every  poor,  struggling  man  on  earth  that- 
would  let  Him  ?  Come,  Mr.  Bruder,  if  you  have  any  rea* 


110  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

gratitude  for  the  little  I  have  done  to  show  my  interest  in 
you  and  yours,  grant  me  my  request." 

"  Do  you  really  mean  him  ?' '  he  gasped.  "  Do  you  really 
rant  to  be  drunken  old  Berthold  Bruder's  friend  ?" 

"God  is  my  witness,  I  do,"  said  Dennis,  still  holding 
out  his  hand. 

The  poor  fellow  drew  a  few  short,  heavy  breaths,  and 
then  grasped  Dennis's  hand,  and  clung  to  it  with  the  force 
of  a  drowning  man. 

"Oh  !"  said  he,  after  a  few  moments  of  deep  emotion, 
"  I  feel  dot  I  haf  a  plank  under  me  now. " 

"  God  grant  that  you  may  soon  feel  that  you  are  on  the 
Rock  Christ  Jesus,"  said  Dennis,  solemnly. 

Fearing  the  reaction  of  too  great  and  prolonged  emo 
tion,  Dennis  now  did  everything  in  his  power  to  calm  and 
quiet  his  new-found  friends.  He  told  them  that  he  boarded 
at  a  restaurant,  and  he  asked  if  he  might  take  supper  with 
them. 

"  Him  is  yours  already,"  said  Mr.  Bruder. 

"No,  it  isn't,"  said  Dennis, — "not  after  I  have  given  it 
to  you.  But  I  want  to  talk  to  you  about  several  matters, 
for  I  think  you  can  be  of  great  service  to  me  ;"  and  he 
told  them  of  his  experience  during  the  day  ;  that  he  had 
been  promoted,  and  that  he  wanted  Ernst  to  come  and  aid 
him  in  his  duties.  Then  he  touched  on  the  matter  nearest 
his  heart,— his  own  wish  to  be  an  artist,  his  need  of  instruc 
tion,— and  told  how  by  his  increase  of  pay  he  had  now  the 
means  of  taking  lessons,  while  still  able  to  support  his 
mother  and  sisters. 

"  And  now,  Mr.  Bruder,  I  feel  that  I  have  been  very 
fortunate  in  making  your  acquaintance.  You  have  the 
touch  and  tone  that  I  should  be  overjoyed  to  acquire. 
Will  you  give  me  lessons  ?" 

"  Yes,  morning,  noon,  and  night,  vithout  von  shent  of 
pay." 

"  That  will  not  do.     I'll  not  take  one  on  those  terms." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  Ill 

"  I  vill  do  vatever  you  vant  me  to,"  said  the  man,  sim 
ply.  "  I  vish  I  could  be  led  and  vatched  over  as  a  little 
child." 

Dennis  saw  his  pathetic  self-distrust,  and  it  touched  him 
deeply. 

"As  your  friend,"  he  said,  with  emphasis,  "I  will  not 
advise  you  to  do  anything  that  I  would  not  do  myself." 

So  they  arranged  that  Ernst  should  go  to  the  store  in  the 
morning,  and  that  Dennis  should  come  three  nights  in  the 
week  for  lessons. 

All  made  a  hearty  supper  save  Mr.  Bruder.  He  had 
reached  that  desperate  stage  when  his  diseased  stomach 
craved  drink  only.  But  a  strong  cup  of  tea,  and  some 
bread  that  he  washed  down  with  it,  heartened  him  a  little, 
and  it  was  evident  that  he  felt  better.  The  light  of  a  faint 
hope  was  dawning  in  his  face. 

Dennis  knew  something  of  the  physical  as  well  as  moral 
struggle  before  the  poor  man,  and  knew  that  after  all  it 
was  exceedingly  problematical  whether  he  cpuld_be  saved. 
Before  he  went  away  he  told  Mrs.  Bruder  to  make  her  hus 
band  some  very  strong  coffee  in  the  morning,  and  to  let 
him  drink  it  through  the  day.  As  for  Cruder,  he  had  re 
solved  to  die  rather  than  touch  another  drop  of  liquor. 

Bat  how  many  poor  victims  of  appetite  have  been 
haunted  to  the  grave  by  such  resolves, — shattered  and 
gone  almost  as  soon  as  made  ! 

After  a  long,  earnest  talk,  in  which  much  of  the  pasfe 
was  revealed  on  both  sides,  Dennis  drew  a  small  Testament 
from  his  pocket  and  said  :  "  Mr.  Bruder,  I  jvish  to  direct 
your  thoughts  to  a  better  Frientl  th'an"T'am  or  can  BS 
Will  you  let  me  read  you  something  about  Him  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  dauk  you.  But  choose  someding  strong, — 
suited  to  me." 

Dennis  read  something  strong, — the  story  of  the  Demo 
niac  of  Gadara,  and  left  him  "  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
clothed  and  in  his  right  mind." 


112  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

"  Mr.  Bruder,  permit  me  as  your  friend  to  say  that  1 
think  that  is  the  only  safe  place  for  you.  Your  better  self, 
your  true  manhood,  has  been  overpowered  by  the  demon 
of  intemperance.  I  do  not  undervalue  human  will  and 
purpose,  but  I  think  you  need  a  divine,  all-powerful 
Deliverer." 

"I  know  you  are  right,"  said  Mr.  Bruder.  "I  haf  re 
solved  ofer  and  ofer  again,  only  to  do  vorse,  and  sink 
deeper  at  der  next  temptation,  till  at  last  I  gave  up  trying. 
Unless  I  am  sustained  by  some  strength  greater  dan  mine, 
1  haf  no  hope.  I  feel  dot  your  human  sympathy  and  kind 
ness  vill  be  a  great  help  to  me,  and  somehow  I  dake  him 
as  an  earnest  dot  Gott  vill  be  kind  to  me  too." 

"O  Mr.  Fleet!"  he  continued,  as  Dennis  rose  to  go, 
"  how  much  I  o:ve  to  you  !  I  vas  in  hell  on  earth  ven  you 
came.  I  vould  haf  been  in  hell  beneath  before  morning. 
I  proposed,  from  the  proceeds  of  dot  picture,  to  indulge  in 
von  more  delirium,  and  den  seek  to  quench  all  in  der 
vaters  of  der  lake." 

Dennis  shuddered,  but  said  :  "  And  I  believe  that  God 
purposes  that  you  should  have  a  good  life  here,  and  a 
happy  life  in  heaven.  Co-work  with  Him." 

"If  He  vill  help  me,  I'll  try,"  said  the  man,  humbly. 
"  Good-night,  and  Gott  bless  you  ;"  and  he  almost  crushed 
Dennis's  hand. 

As  the  young  man  turned  to  Mrs.  Bruder,  he  was  much 
struck  by  her  appearance  :  she  was  very  pale,  and  a  won 
derful  light  shone  from  her  eyes.  She  took  his  hand  in 
both  of  hers,  and  looked  at  him  for  a  moment  with  an 
expression  he  could  never  forget,  and  then  slowly  pointed 
heavenward  without  a  word. 

Dennis  hastened  away,  much  overcome  by  his  own  feel 
ings.  But  the  silent,  deserted  streets  seemed  luminous, 
duch  was  the  joy  of  his  heart. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  113 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

MISS   LUDOLPH   MAKES   A    DISCOVERY. 

SEVERAL  hours  were  measured  off  by  the  clock  of  a 
neighboring  steeple  before  Dennis's  excited  mind  was  suffi 
ciently  calm  to  permit  sleep,  and  even  then  he  often  started 
up  from  some  fantastic  dream  in  which  the  Bruders  and 
Mr.  and  Miss  Ludolph  acted  strange  parts.  At  last  he 
seemed  to  hear  exquisite  music.  As  the  song  rose  and  fell, 
it  thrilled  him  with  delight.  Suddenly  it  appeared  to 
break  into  a  thousand  pieces,  and  fall  scattering  on  the 
ground,  like  a  broken  string  of  pearls,  and  this  musical 
crash,  as  it  were,  awoke  him.  The  sun  was  shining 
brightly  into  the  room,  and  all  the  air  seemed  vibrating 
with  sweet  sounds.  He  started  up  and  realized  that  he 
had  greatly  overslept.  Much  vexed,  he  began  to  dress  in 
haste,  when  he  was  startled  by  a  brilliant  prelude  on  the 
piano,  and  a  voice  of  wonderful  power  and  sweetness 
struck  into  an  air  that  he  had  never  hearfl  before.  Soon 
the  whole  building  was  resonant  with  music,  and  Dennis 
stood  spellbound  till  the  strange,  rich  sounds  died  away, 
as  before,  in  a  few  instrumental  notes  that  had  seemed  in 
his  dream  like  the  song  breaking  into  glittering  fragments. 

"It  must  be  Miss  Ludolph,"  thought  Dennis.  "And 
can  she  sing  like  that  ?  What  an  angel  true  faith  would 
make  of  her  !  Oh,  how  could  I  oversleep  so  I"  And  he 
dressed  in  breathless  haste.  In  going  down  to  the  second 
floor,  he  found  a  piano  open  and  new  music  upon  it,  which 
Miss  Ludolph  had  evidently  been  trying  ;  but  she  was  not 
there.  Yet  a  peculiar  delicate  perfume  which  the  young 
lady  always  used  pervaded  the  place,  even  as  her  song  had 
seemed  to  pulsate  through  the  air  after  it  had  ceased.  She 
could  not  be  far  off.  Stepping  to  a  picture  show-room 
over  the  front  door,  Dennis  found  her  sitting  quietly  before 
a  large  painting,  sketching  one  of  the  figures  in  it. 


114  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

"  I  learned  from  my  father  that  you  were  a  very  early 
riser,"  she  said,  looking  up  for  a  moment,  and  then  resum 
ing  her  work.  "  I  fear  there  is  sonic  mistake  about  it.  If 
M-e  are  ever  to  get  through  re-arranging  the  store  you  will 
have  to  curtail  your  morning  naps." 

"  I  most  sincerely  beg  your  pardon.  I  never  overslept 
so  before.  But  I  was  out  late  last  night,  and  passed 
through  a  most  painful  scene,  that  so  disturbed  me  that 
I  could  not  sleep  till  nearly  morning,  and  I  find  to  my 
great  vexation  that  I  have  overslept.  I  promise  you  it 
shall  not  happen  again." 

"  I  am  not  sure  of  that,  if  you  are  out  late  in  Chicago, 
and  passing  through  painful  scenes.  I  should  say  that 
this  city  was  a  peculiarly  bad  place  for  a  young  man  to  be 
out  late  in. 

"  It  was  an  experience  wholly  unexpected  to  me,  and 
I  hope  it  may  never  occur  again.  It  was  a  scene  of  trouble 
that  I  had  no  hand  in  making,  but  which  even  humanity 
would  not  permit  me  to  leave  at  once  " 

"  Not  a  scene  of  measles  or  small-pox,  I  hope.  I  am 
told  that  your  mission  people  are  indulging  in  these  things 
most  of  the  time.  You  have  not  been  exposed  to  any  con 
tagious  disease  ?" 

"  I  assure  you  I  have  not." 

"  Very  well ;  be  ready  to  assist  me  to-morrow  morning, 
for  we  have  no  slight  task  before  us,  and  I  wish  to  com 
plete  it  as  soon  as  possible.  I  shall  be  here  at  half -past 
six,  and  do  not  promise  to  sing  you  awake  every  morning. 
Were  you  not  a  little  startled  to  hear  such  unwonted  sounds 
echoing  through  the  prosaic  old  store  ?" 

"  I  was  indeed.  At  first  I  could  not  believe  that  it  was 
a  human  voice." 

"  That  is  rather  an  equivocal  compliment." 

*'  I  did  not  mean  to  speak  in  compliment  at  all,  but  to 
say  in  all  sincerity  that  I  have  seldom  heard  such  heavenly 
music." 


BARRIERS  tii/RNED  AWAY.  115 

"  Perhaps  you  have  never  heard  very  much  of  any  kind, 
or  else  your  imagination  overshadows  your  other  faculties. 
In  fact  I  think  it  does,  for  did  you  not  at  first  regard  me 
as  a  pajntecjjady  who  had  stepped  from  the  canvas  to  the 
floor  ?>7~ 

"  I  confess  that  I  was  greatly  confused  and  startled." 

"  In  what  respect  did  you  see  such  a  close  resemblance  ?" 

Dennis  hesitated. 

"  Are  you  not  able  to  tell  ?"  asked  she. 

"  Yes,"  said  Dennis,  with  heightened  color,  "  but  I  do 
not  like  to  say." 

"  But  I  wish  you  to  say,"  said  she,  with  a  slightly  im 
perious  tone. 

"  Well,  then,  since  you  wish  me  to  speak  frankly,  it  was 
your  expression.  As  you  stood  by  the  picture  you  uncon 
sciously  assumed  the  look  and  manner  of  the  painted  girl. 
And  all  the  evening  and  morning  I  had  been  troubling  over 
the  picture  and  wondering  how  an  artist  could  paint  so 
lovely  a  face,  and  make  it  express  only  scorn  and  pride. 
It  seemed  to  me  that  such  a  face  ought  to  have  been  put 
to  nobler  uses." 

Miss  Ludolph  bit  her  lip  and  looked  a  little  annoyed, 
but  turning  to  Dennis  she  said,  with  some  curiosity  :  "  You 
are  not  a  bit  like  the  man  who  preceded  you.  How  did 
you  come  to  take  his  place  ?" 

"  I  am  poor,  and  will  gratefully  do  any  honest  work 
rather  than  beg  or  starve." 

sh  all  the  poor  were  of  the  same  mind,  but,  from 
the  jway  th^drag~Sn"us  who  have  something  to  give, 
I  think  the  rule  is  usually  the  other  way.  Very  well,  that 
will  answer  ;  since  you  have  asked  papa  to  let  you  con 
tinue  to  do  Pat's  duties,  you  had  better  be  about  them, 
though  it  is  not  so  late  as  you  think  ;"  and  she  turned  to 
her  sketching  in  such  a  way  as  to  quietly  dismiss  him. 

She  evidently  regarded  him  with  some  interest  and  curi 
osity,  as  a  unique  specimen  of  the  genus  homo,  and,  look- 


116  BARRIERS  B  URNED  A  WA  T. 

ing  upon  him  as  a  humble  dependent,  was  inclined  to  speak 
to  him  freely  and  draw  him  out  for  her  amusement. 

On  going  downstairs  he  saw  that  Mr.  Ludolph  was  writ 
ing  in  his  office.  He  was  an  early  riser,  and  sometimes, 
entering  the  side  door  by  a  pass  key  before  the  store  was 
opened,  would  secure  an  extra  hour  for  business.  He 
shook  his  head  at  Dennis,  but  said  nothing. 

By  movements  wonderfully  quick  ami  dexterous  Dennis 
went  through  his  wonted  tasks,  and  at  eight  o'clock,  the 
usual  hour,  the  store  was  ready  for  opening. 

Mr.  Ludolph  often  caught  glimpse*  of  him  as  he  darted 
to  and  fro,  his  cheeks  glowing,  and  every  act  suggesting 
superabundant  life. 

He  sighed  and  said  :  "  After  all,  that  young  fellow  is  to 
be  envied.  He  is  getting  more  out  of  existence  than  most 
of  us.  He  enjoys  everything,  and  does  even  hard  work 
with  a  zest  that  makes  it  play.  There  will  be  no  keeping 
him  down,  for  he  seems  possessed  by  the  concentrated  vim 
of  this  driving  Yankee  nation.  Then  he  has  a  world  of 
delusions  besides  that  seem  grand  realities.  Well,  it  is  a 
sad  thing  to  grow  old  and  wise." 

Indeed  it  is,  in  Mr.  Ludolph's  style. 

When  Dennis  opened  the  front  door,  there  was  Ernst 
cowering  in  the  March  winds,  and  fairly  trembling  in  the 
flutter  of  his  hopes  and  fears.  Dennis  gave  him  a  hearty 
grasp  of  the  hand  and  drew  him  in,  saying,  "  Don't  be 
afraid  ;  I'll  take  care  of  you." 

The  boy's  heart  clung  to  him  as  the  vine  tendril  clasps 
the  oak,  and,  upheld  by  Dennis's  strength,  he  entered  what 
was  to  him  wronder-land  indeed. 

Mr.  Ludolph  looked  him  over  as  he  and  his  daughter 
passed  out  on  their  return  to  breakfast,  and  said,  "  He  will 
answer  if  he  is  strong  enough," 

He  saw  nothing  in  that  child's  face  to  fear. 

Dennis  assured  him  with  a  significant  glance,  which  Mr, 


BARRIERS  BURNED   AWAY.  117 

Ludolph  understood  as  referring  to  better  fare,  that  "  he 
would  grow  strong  fast  now." 

-  Miss  Ludolph  was  at  once  interested  in  the  boy's  pale 
face  and  large,  spritual  eyes  ;  and  she  resolved  to  sketch 
them  before  good  lining  had  destroyed  the  artistic  effect. 

Under  kindly  instruction,  the  boy  took  readily  to  his 
duties,  and  promised  soon  to  become  very  helpful.  At 
noon  Dennis  took  him  out  to  lunch,  and  the  poor,  half- 
starved  lad  feasted  as  he  had  not  for  many  a  long  day. 

The  afternoon  mail  brought  Dennis  his  mother's  letter, 
and  he  wondered  that  her  prediction  should  be  fulfilled 
even  before  it  reached  him,  and  thus  again  his  faith  was 
strengthened.  He  smiled  and  said  to  himself,  "  Mother 
lives  so  near  the  heavenly  land  that  she  seems  to  get  the 
news  thence  before  any  one  else." 

During  the  day  a  lady  who  was  talking  to  Mr.  Ludolph 
turned  and  said  to  Dennis  :  "How  prettily  you  have  ar 
ranged  this  table  !  Let  me  see  ;  I  think  I  will  take  that 
little  group  of  bronzes.  They  make  a  very  nice  effect 
together." 

Dennis,  with  his  heart  swelling  that  he  had  arrived  at 
the  dignity  of  salesman,  with  much  politeness,  which  evi 
dently  pleased  the  lady,  assured  her  that  they  would  be 
sent  promptly  to  her  address. 

Mr.  Ludolph  looked  on  as  if  all  was  a  matter  of  course 
while  she  was  present,  but  afterward  said  :  "  You  are  on 
the  right  track,  Fleet.  You  now  see  the  practical  result 
of  a  little  thought  and  grace  in  arrangement.  In  matters  of 
art,  people  will  pay  almost  as  much  for  these  as  for  the  things 
themselves.  The  lady  would  not  have  bought  those  bronzes 
under  Berder's  S3Tstem.  When  things  are  grouped  rightly, 
people  see  just  what  they  want,  and  buy  the  effect  as  well 
as  the  articles  ;"  and  with  this  judicious  praise  Mr.  Ludolph 
passed  on,  better  pleased  with  himself  even  than  with 
Dennis. 

But,  as  old  Bill  Cronk  had  intimated,  such  a  peck  of 


118  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

oats  was  almost  too  much  for  Dennis,  and  lie  felt  that  he 
was  in  danger  of  becoming  too  highly  elated. 

After  closing  the  store,  he  wrote  a  brief  but  graphic 
letter  to  his  mother,  describing  his  promotion,  and  express 
ing  much  sympathy  for  poor  Berder.  Regarding  himself 
as  on  the  crest  of  prosperity's  wave,  he  felt  a  strong  com 
miseration  for  every  degree  and  condition  of  troubled  hu 
manity,  and  even  could  sigh  over  unlucky  Berder's  de 
served  tribulations. 

About  eight  o'clock  he  started  to  see  his  new  friends  in 
De  Koven  street,  and  take  his  lesson  in  drawing.  They 
welcomed  him  warmly,  for  they  evidently  looked  upon 
him  as  the  one  who  might  save  them  from  the  ingulfing 
waves  of  misfortune  and  evil. 

The  children  were  very  different  from  the  clamorous 
little  wolves  of  the  night  before.  No  longer  hungry,  they 
were  happy  in  the  corner,  with  some  rude  playthings,  talk 
ing  and  cooing  together  like  a  flock  of  young  birds.  Ernst 
was  washing  the  tea-things,  while  his  mother  cared  for 
the  baby,  recalling  to  Dennis,  with  a  rush  of  tender  n\em- 
ories,  his  mother  and  his  boyhood  tasks.  Mr.  Bruder  still 
sat  in  the  dusky  corner.  The  day  had  been  a  hard  one  for 
him.  Having  nothing  to  do  in  the  present,  he  had  lived 
the  miserable  past  over  and  over  again.  At  times  his 
strength  almost  gave  way,  but  his  wife  would  say,  "  Be 
patient !  your  friend  Mr.  Fleet  will  be  in  soon." 

From  a  few  hints  of  what  had  passed,  Dennis  saw  the 
trouble  at  once.  Mr.  Bruder  must  have  occupation.  After 
a  few  kindly  generalities,  they  two  got  together,  as  con 
genial  spirits,  before  the  rescued  picture  ;  and  soon  both 
were  absorbed  in  the  mysteries  of  the  divine  art. 

As  the  wife  looked  at  the  kindling,  interested  face  of  her 
husband,  she  murmured  t®  herself  over  and  over  again, 
like  the  sweet  refrain  of  a  song,  "  His  artist-soul  haf  come 
back  ;  it  truly  haf." 

The  lesson  that  night  could  be  no  more  than  a  talk  on 


BARRIERS  B  URN  ED  AWAY. 

general  principles  and  rules.  But  Mr.  Bruder  soon  found 
that  he  had  an  apt  scholar,  and  Dennis's  enthusiasm  kindled 
his  own  flagging  zeal,  and  the  artist-soul  awakening  within 
him,  as  his  wife  believed,  longed  to  express  itself  as  of  old 
in  glowing  colors. 

,  Moreover,  his  ambition  was  renewed  in  this  promising 
pupil.  Naturally  generous,  and  understanding  his  noble 
profession,  he  felt  his  poor  benumbed  heart  stir  and  glow 
at  the  thought  of  aiding  this  eager  aspirant  to  become  what 
he  had  hoped  to  be.  Hejcoight  live  again  in  the  richer  and 
better-guided  genius  of  his  scholar. 

"  I  will  send  you  by  Ernst  in  the  morning  some  sketch 
ing  paper,  materials,  and  canvas,  and  you  can  prepare 
some  studies  for  me.  I  will  let  him  bring  some  drawings 
and  colorings  that  I  have  made  of  late  in  odd  moments, 
and  you  can  see  about  how  advanced  I  am,  and  what 
faults  I  have  fallen  into  while  groping  my  own  way.  And 
i  am  going  to  send  you  some  canvas,  also,  for  I  am  quite 
sure  that  if  you  paint  a  picture  Mr.  Ludolph  will  buy  it." 

The  man's  face  brightened  visibly  at  this. 

"  Will  you  let  your  friend  make  a  suggestion  ?"  con 
tinued  Dennis. 

"  You  can  command  me,"  said  Mr.  Bruder,  with  em 
phasis. 

"  No  ;  friends  never  do  that ;  but  I  would  like  to  sug 
gest  that  at  first  you  take  some  simple  subject,  that  you 
can  soon  finish,  and  leave  efforts  that  require  more  time 
for  the  future.  That  picture  there  shows  what  you  can 
do,  and  you  need  to  work  now  more  from  the  commercial 
standpoint  than  the  artist's." 

After  a  moment's  thought,  the  man  said,  "  You  are  right, 
As  I  look  around  dis  room,  and  see  our  needs,  I  see  dat 
you  are  right.  Do'  I  meant  to  attempt  someding  difficult, 
to  show  Mr.  Ludolph  vat  I  could  do." 

"  That  will  all  come  in  good  time  ;  and  now,  my  friend, 
good-night." 


120  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

The  next  day  was  far  more  tolerable  for  poor  Bruder, 
because  he  was  occupied,  and  he  found  it  much  easier  to 
resist  the  clamors  of  appetite. 

Dennis's  sketches  interested  him  greatly,  for,  though 
they  showed  the  natural  defects  of  one  who  had  received 
little  instruction,  both  power  and  originality  were  manifest 
in  their  execution. 

"  He,  too,  can  be  an  artist,  if  he  vill,"  was  his  emphatic 
comment,  after  looking  them  over. 

He  prepared  one  study,  to  be  continued  under  his  own 
eye,  and  another  for  Dennis  to  work  at  alone.  Afterward 
he  sat  down  to  something  for  himself.  He  thought  a  few 
moments,  and  then  outlined  rapidly  as  his  subject  the 
figure  of  a  man  dashing  a  wineglass  to  the  ground. 

As  he  worked,  his  wife  smiled  encouragement  to  him  as 
of  old,  and  often  looked  upward  in  thankfulness  to  heaven. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

WHAT   IS   THE   MATTER  WITH   HIM  ? 

THE  sun  was  just  tingeing  the  eastern  horizon  with  light 
when  Dennis  sprung  from  his  bed  on  the  following  morn 
ing.  He  vowed  that  Miss  Ludolph  should  never  have 
cause  to  complain  of  him  again  ;  for,  great  as  was  the 
luxury  of  being  awakened  by  such  exquisite  music,  it  wa$ 
one  that  he  could  not  afford. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  he  gave  a  little  more  care  than 
usual  that  morning  to  his  toilet  ;  but  his  resources  were 
very  limited.  Still,  as  nature  had  done  so  much  for  him, 
he  could  not  complain.  By  half-past  six  his  duties  in  the 
store  were  accomplished,  and  brushed  and  furbished  up  ns 
far  as  possible,  he  stood  outside  the  door  awaiting  his  fair 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  121 

task-mistress.  Sometimes  he  wondered  at  the  strange  fas- 
cimation  she  exercised  over  him,  but  generally  ended  by 
ascribing  it  to  her  beauty  and  love  of  art. 

A  little  after  the  time  appointed  she  appeared  with  her 
father,  and  seemed  pleased  at  Dennis's  readiness  for  work. 

"  I  shall  not  have  to  sing  you  awake  this  morning,"  she 
said,  "  and  I  am  glad,  for  I  am  in  a  mood  for  business." 

She  was  attired  in  a  close-fitting  walking-dress  that  set 
off  her  graceful  person  finely.  It  was  evident  that  her 
energetic  nature  would  permit  no  statuesque  repose  while 
Dennis  worked,  but  that  she  had  come  prepared  for  active 
measures. 

She  had  inherited  a  good  constitution,  which  under  her 
father's  direction  had  been  strengthened  and  confirmed  by 
due  regard  to  hygienic  rules.  Therefore  she  had  reached 
the  stage  of  early  womanhood  abounding  in  vitality  and 
capable  of  great  endurance.  Active,  graceful  motion  was 
as  natural  to  her  as  it  is  for  a  swallow  to  be  on  the  wing. 
The  moment  she  dropped  her  book,  palette,  or  pencil,  she 
was  on  her  feet,  her  healthful  nature  seeming  like  a  moun 
tain  brook,  that,  checked  for  a  time  in  its  flow,  soon  over 
leaps  its  bounds  and  speeds  on  more  swiftly  than  ever. 
But  the  strange  part  of  this  superabundant  activity  was, 
that  she  never  seemed  to  do  anything  in  an  abrupt  way,  as 
from  mere  impulse.  Every  act  glided  into  another  smoothly 
and  gracefully.  Her  lithe,  willowy  figure,  neither  slight 
nor  stout,  was  peculiarly  adapted  to  her  style  of  move 
ment.  She  delighted  in  the  game  of  billiards,  for  the  quick 
movements  and  varied  attitudes  permitted,  and  the  pre 
cision  required,  were  all  suited  to  her  taste  ;  and  she  had 
gained  such  marvellous  skill  that  even  her  father,  with  his 
practised  hand,  was  scarcely  her  match. 

As  she  tripped  lightly  up  the  long  winding  stairs  to  the 
show-room  over  the  front  door  where  their  labors  were  to 
begin,  she  appeared  to  Dennis  the  very  embodiment  of 
grace  and  beauty.  And  yet  she  seemed  so  cold  and  self- 


122  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

centred,  so  devoid  of  warm  human  interest  in  the  great 
world  of  love,  joy,  and  suffering,  that  she  repelled  while 
she  fascinated. 

"  If  the  blood  should  come  into  the  cheeks  of  one  of  her 
father's  statues,  and  the  white  marble  eyes  turn  to  violet 
blue,  and  the  snowy  hair  to  wavy  gold,  and  it  should 
spring  from  its  pedestal  into  just  such  life,  it  would  be 
more  like  her  than  any  woman  I  ever  saw,"  thought  Den 
nis,  as  he  stood  for  a  moment  or  two  waiting  to  do  her 
bidding. 

Her  plans  had  been  thoroughly  matured,  and  she  acted 
with  decision.  Pointing  to  the  side  opposite  the  door, — 
the  side  which  would  naturally  strike  the  eye  of  the  visitor 
first, — she  said,  "  I  wish  'all  the  pictures  taken  down  from 
that  wall  and  placed  around  the  room  so  that  I  can  see 
them. " 

She  began  as  an  absolute  dictator,  intending  to  give  no 
hint  of  her  plans  and  purposes  except  as  conveyed  by  clear, 
terse  orders.  But  these  had  so  intelligent  and  appreciative 
an  interpreter  in  Dennis,  that  gradually  her  attention  was 
drawn  to  him  as  well  as  to  his  work. 

He  had  his  step-ladder  ready,  and  with  a  celerity  de 
cidedly  pleasing,  soon  placed  the  pictures  safely  on  the 
floor,  so  that  she  could  still  see  them  and  judge  of  their 
character.  Though  his  dexterous  manner  and  careful  hand 
ling  of  the  pictures  were  gratifying,  it  must  be  confessed 
that  his  supple  form,  the  graceful  and  varied  attitudes  he 
unconsciously  assumed  in  his  work,  pleased  her  more,  and 
she  secretly  began  to  study  him  as  an  artistic  subject,  as 
he  had  studied  her; 

In  her  complacency  she  said  :  •"  So  far,  very  well,  Mr. 
Fleet.  I  congratulate  myself  that  I  have  you  to  assist  me, 
instead  of  that  awkward  fraud,  Mr.  Berder." 

"  And  I  assure  you,  Miss  Ludolph,  that  I  have  longed 
intensely  for  this  privilege  ever  since  I  knew  your  pur 
pose." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  123 

"  You  may  have  cause  to  repent,  like  many  another 
whose  wishes  have  been  gratified  ;  for  your  privilege  will 
involve  a  great  deal  of  hard  work." 

"  The  more  the  better,"  said  Dennis,  warmly. 

"  How  so  ?  I  should  think  you  had  more  to  do  now 
than  you  would  care  about." 

"  Work  is  no  burden  to  one  of  my  years  and  strength, 
provided  it  is  suited  to  one's  tastes.  Moreover,  I  confess 
that  I  hope  to  derive  great  advantages  from  this  labor." 

"  In  what  way  ?"  she  asked,  with  a  slight  frown,  imag- 
inmg  that  he  thought  of  extra  pay. 

"  Because  unconsciously  you  will  give  me  instruction, 
and  I  hope  that  you  are  not  unwilling  that  I  should  gain 
such  hints  and  suggestions  as  I  can  from  the  display  of 
your  taste  that  I  must  witness. " 

"Not  at  all,"  said  she,  laughing.  "I  see  that  you  are 
ambitious  to  learn  your  business  and  rise  in  the  store." 

"I  am  ambitious  to  gain  a  knowledge  of  one  of  the 
noblest  callings." 

"  What  is  that  ?" 

"Art." 

"What!"  said  she,  with  a  half -scornful  smile;  "are 
you  a  disciple  of  art  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  why  not  ?" 

"  Well,  I  do  not  wish  to  hurt  your  feelings,  but,  to  tell 
you  the  honest  truth,  it  seems  but  the  other  day  that  you 
were  Pat  Murphy. ' ' 

"  But  am  I  a  Pat  Murphy  ?"  he  asked,  with  gentle  dig 
nity. 

"  No,  Mr.  Fleet ;  I  will  do  you  the  justice  to  say  that  I 
think  you  very  much  above  your  station." 

"  I  am  sufficiently  a  democrat,  Miss  Ludolph,  to  believe 
that  a  man.  can  be  a  man  in  any  honest  work." 

^>r  And  I,  Mr.  Fleet,  am  not  in|  the  least  degree  a  demo 
crat.  ' ' 

Which  fact  she  proceeded  to   prove  by  ordering  him 


124  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

about  for  the  next  hour  like  the  most  absolute  little  despot 
that  ever  queened  it  over  a  servile  province  in  the  dark 
ages.  But  it  was  rather  difficult  to  keep  up  this  style  of 
dictatorship  with  Dennis.  He  seemed  so  intelligent  and 
polite  that  she  often  had  it  on  her  tongue  to  ask  his  opinion 
on  certain  points.  Toward  the  last  she  did  so,  and  the 
opinion  he  gave,  she  admitted  to  herself,  was  judicious ; 
but  for  a  purpose  of  her  own  she  disregarded  it,  and  took 
a  different  way. 

Dennis  at  once  saw  through  her  plan  of  arrangement. 
In  the  centre  of  that  side  of  the  room  which  he  had  cleared, 
she  caused  him  to  hang  one  of  the  largest  and  finest  pic 
tures,  which,  under  Mr.  Schwartz's  management,  had  been 
placed  in  a  corner.  Around  the  central  painting  all  the 
others  were  to  be  grouped,  according  to  color,  subject,  and 
merit.  At  the  same  time  each  wall  was  to  have  a  character 
of  its  own.  Such  a  task  as  this  would  require  no  little 
thought,  study,  and  comparison  ;  and  Miss  Ludolph  was 
one  to  see  delicate  points  of  difference  which  most  observers 
would  not  notice.  It  was  her  purpose  to  make  the  room 
bloom  out  naturally  like  a  great  flower.  This  careful 
selection  of  pictures  was  necessarily  slow,  and  Dennis  re 
joiced  that  their  united  work  would  not  soon  be  over. 

To  her  surprise  she  often  saw  his  eyes  instinctively  turn 
ing  to  the  same  picture  that  she  was  about  to  select,  and 
perceived  that  he  had  divined  her  plan  without  a  word  of 
explanation,  and  that  his  taste  was  constantly  according 
with  hers  in  producing  the  desired  effects.  Though  all  this 
filled  her  with  astonishment,  she  revealed  no  sign  of  it  to 
him.  At  eight  she  said  :  "  That  will  do  for  to-day.  We 
have  made  a  good  beginning, — better  indeed  than  I  had 
hoped.  But  how  is  it,  Mr.  Fleet,  since  you  are  such  aa 
uncompromising  democrat,  that  you  permit  a  young  lady 
to  order  you  about  in  this  style  ?' ' 

Dennis  smiled  and  said  :  "  It  seems  perfectly  natural  for 
you  to  speak  in  this  way,  and  it  does  not  appear  offensive 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  125 

as  it  might  in  another.  Moreover,  I  have  voluntarily  taken 
this  position  and  am  in  honor  bound  to  accept  all  it  in 
volves." 

"  But  which  was  the  controlling  motive  of  your  mind  ?" 

"  Well,  a  few  seem  born  to  command,  and  it  is  a  pleasure 
to  obey,"  said  Dennis,  paying  a  strong  but  honest  compli 
ment  to  the  natural  little  autocrat. 

"Indeed,  Mr.  Fleet,  do  church-members  flatter?"  said 
she,  secretly  much  pleased. 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  flatter,"  said  he,  flushing.  "  They 
who  have  power  should  use  it  like  the  A 11- powerful, — 
gently,  considerately." 

It  was  her  turn  to  flush  now,  and  she  said,  "  Oh,  I  per 
ceive,  the  compliment  was  the  sugar-coating  of  the  littlo 
homily  to  follow." 

"  I  have  no  such  diplomacy  as  you  credit  me  with,"  said 
Dennis,  looking  straight  into  her  eyes  with  honest  frank 
ness.  "  I  merely  spoke  my  passing  thought." 

"  But  he  has  fine  eyes,"  said  she  to  herself,  and  then  she 
said  to  him  :  "  Very  well,  I  certainly  will  give  you  credit 
for  being  superior  to  your  position.  Be  ready  again  to 
morrow  at  the  same  hour;"  and  with  a  smile  somewhat 
kindly  she  vanished. 

Somehow  she  seemed  to  take  the  light  out  of  the  room 
with  her.  The  pictures  suddenly  looked  tame  and  ordi 
nary,  and  everything  commonplace.  Here  was  an  effect 
not  exactly  artistic,  which  he  could  not  understand.  He 
sighed,  he  scarcely  knew  why. 

But  the  day's  duties  came  with  a  rush,  and  soon  he  was 
utterly  absorbed  in  them. 

That  evening  Dennis  was  much  cheered  by  Mr.  Bruder's 
comments  on  his  sketches. 

"  Considering  de  advantages  you  haf  had,  and  de  little 
time  you  can  give,  dey  are  very  goot.  You  haf  fallen 
into  de  natural  faults  of  dose  who  work  alone,  but  ve  can 
soon  cure  dese.  Now  here  is  some  vork  dat  I  vant  you  te 


126  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

do  under  my  eye,  and  dat  study  on  outlining  you  can  take 
home.  Moreover,  I  can  give  you  some  lessons  in  outlining 
from  my  own  picture  ;"  and  Mr.  Bruder  showed  him  what 
he  had  done. 

Dennis  saw  in  the  clear,  vigorous  profile  the  artist's 
thought,  and  congratulated  himself  that  his  teacher  was  a 
master  in  his  profession. 

For  two  hours  they  worked  and  talked,  and  Dennis  felt 
that  every  such  lesson  would  be  a  long  step  forward. 

Poor  Bruder  looked  more  and  more  like  himself  every 
day,  but  God  only  knew  how  he  had  to  struggle. 

"  I  don't  know  how  him  vill  end,"  he  said.  "  I  pray 
nearly  every  minute,  but  sometimes  I  feel  dat  I  must  drink 
even  do'  I  die  dat  moment." 

It  was  disease  as  well  as  appetite  that  he  was  fighting, 
for  appetite  indulged  beyond  a  certain  point  becomes  dis 
ease. 

His  wife's  face  was  different  also,— the  sharp  look  of 
misery  fading  out  of  it.  Dennis  noticed  the  changes,  and 
thought  to  himself,  while  walking  home  :  ' '  After  all,  the 
highest  art  is  to  bring  out  on  the  living  face  all  we  can  of 
God's  lost  image.  How  beautiful  the  changes  in  these  two 
poor  people's  faces  !  and  the  best  part  of  it  is,  that  they 
are  the  reflex  of  changes  going  on  in  the  soul,  the  imperish 
able  part." 

Then,  in  quick  and  natural  transition,  his  mind  reverted 
to  Christine  Ludolph  ;  and  the  thought  of  her  face,  which 
God  had  fashioned  so  fair,  but  which  was  already  sadly 
marred  by  sin,  becoming  fixed  and  rigid  in  pride  and  selfish 
ness,  was  as  painful  as  if;  according  to  an  old  legend,  her 
lithe,  active  form  should  gradually  turn  to  stone.  But  if 
the  reverse  could  ever  be  true, — if  the  beautifying  Chris 
tian  graces  could  dwell  within  her  soul  and  light  up  her 
face,— as  lamps  illumining  some  rare  and  quaint  trans 
parency,  the  resulting  loveliness  would  realize  the  artist's 
fondest  ideal. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  127 

Musing  thus,  what  wonder  that  he  vowed  then  and  there, 
under  the  starlight,  to  pray  and  work  for  her  till  the  new 
life  should  illumine  her  heart.  Little  dreamed  Christine, 
as  she  slept  that  night,  that  the  first  link  of  a  chain  whicli 
might  bind  her  to  heaven  had  been  forged. 

The  dawn  was  late  and  lowering  on  the  following  morn 
ing.  Great  masses  of  clouds  swept  across  the  sky,  and 
soon  the  rain  was  falling  in  gusty  torrents.  Dennis  rose 
and  hastened  through  his  duties  as  before,  and  was  ready 
at  the  hour  appointed,  but  had  little  hope  of  seeing  Miss 
Ludolph.  Still  he  opened  the  door  and  looked  up  the 
street.  To  his  surprise  he  saw  her  coming,  attended  by 
her  father's  valet.  Only  part  of  her  glowing  face  was 
visible,  for  she  was  incased  from  head  to  foot  in  a  light 
and  delicate  suit  of  rubber. 

Dennis  opened  the  door,  and  she  stepped  quickly  in, 
scattering  spray  on  every  side  like  a  sea-nymph.  The 
young  man  looked  at  her  with  open-eyed  admiration  and 
surprise,  which  both  amused  and  pleased  her. 

"  True  enough,"  she  thought,  "  his  face  is  like  a  sign 
board.  ' ' 

She  seemed  to  him,  as  she  threw  off  her  wet  coverings,! 
like  an  exquisite  flower,  that,  lifted  by  the  breeze  after  a 
storm,  scatters  the  burdensome  rain-drops  on  every  side 
and  stands  up  more  beautiful  and  blooming  than  ever. 

"  You  were  not  expecting  me,  I  imagine,"  she  said. 

"  Well,  I  must  admit  I  scarcely  did,  and  yet  I  could  not 
help  looking  for  you." 

"Isn't  that  a  distinction  without  a  difference?"  she 
asked,  with  a  pleasant  smile,  for  she  was  gratified  at  not 
finding  the  store  closed  and  dark. 

"  I  am  very  glad  you  have  come,"  he  replied,  flushing 
slightly  with  pleasure,  "for  it  would  have  been  a  long, 
dreary  morning  if  you  had  not." 

Dennis  thought  he  referred  to  the  lack  of  occupation. 


128  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

He  did  not  know,  nor  did  she  notice,  that  he  meant  the 
lack  of  herself. 

"  Well,"  said  she,  "  I  am  glad  you  like  the  work,  for 
you  are  destined  to  have  enough  of  it. " 


CHAPTER  XX. 

w 
IS  HE  A  GENTLEMAN  ? 

THE  days  and  weeks  that  followed  were  to  Dennis  such 
as  only  come  once  in  a  lifetime,  and  not  in  every  lifetime 
either.  A  true,  pure  love  was  growing  up  within  his 
heart, — growing  as  the  little  child  develops  in  strength  and 
pleasurable  life,  and  yet  unconsciously  to  itself.  It  seemed 
as  if  some  strong  magician's  wand  had  touched  the  world 
or  him.  Everything  was  transfigured,  and  no  wonder- land 
was  more  full  of  interest  than  that  in  which  he  existed. 
His  life  was  a  waking  dream,  in  which  nothing  was  distinct 
or  definite,  but  all  things  abounded  in  hope  and  happy 
suggestion.  He  compared  it  afterward  to  a  tropical  island 
of  the  Pacific,  a  blissful  fragment  of  life  by  itself,  utterly 
distinct  from  the  hard,  struggling  years  that  preceded,  and 
the  painful  awakening  that  followed. 

Even  the  place  of  his  daily  toil  was  pervaded  by  a  beauti 
ful  presence.  For  many  days  he  and  Christine  worked 
together,  and  at  last  her  eyes  had  rested  on,  or  her  fingers 
had  touched,  nearly  everything  in  the  store,  and  therefore 
all  was  associated  with  her.  Throughout  their  labors  his 
quick  sympathy  and  appreciation  made  him  almost  hands 
and  feet  to  her,  and  she  regarded  him  as  a  miracle  of  help- ; 
fulness, — one  of  those  humble,  useful  creatures  who  are 
born  to  wait  upon  and  interpret  the  wishes  of  the  rich  and 
great,  His  admiring  glances  disturbed  her  not  and  raised 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY  129 

no  suspicion  in  her  mind.  She  had  been  accustomed  to 
such  for  years,  and  took  them  as  a  matter  of  course. 

She  treated  the  young  men  whom  she  met  in  society  with 
a  courtly  ease  and  freedom,  but  her  smiles  and  repartee 
ever  seemed  like  brilliant  moonlight  that  had  no  warmth  ; 
and,  while  no  restraint  appeared,  she  still  kept  all  at  a  dis 
tance.  There  was  a  marked  difference  in  her  intercourse 
with  Dennis.  Regarding  him  as  too  humble  ever  to  pre 
sume  upon  her  frankness,  she  daily  spoke  more  freely,  and 
more  truly  acted  out  herself  before  him.  She  was  happy 
and  in  her  element  among  the  beautiful  works  of  art  they 
were  arranging,  and  in  this  atmosphere  her  womanly 
nature,  chilled  and  dwarfed  though  it  was,  would  often 
manifest  itself  in  ways  sweet  and  unexpected.  Under  no 
other  circumstances  could  she  have  appeared  so  well.  She 
as  often  spoke  to  herself  in  racy  comment  on  what  was 
before  her  as  to  Dennis,  and  ever  and  anon  would  make 
some  pleasant  remark  to  him,  as  she  might  throw  a  dainty 
morsel  to  her  greyhound  Wolf,  looking  wistfully  at  her 
while  she  dined.  At  the  same  time  it  must  be  confessed 
that  she  had  a  growing  respect  for  him,  as  she  daily  saw 
some  new  proof  of  his  intelligence  and  taste  ;  but  both 
education  and  disposition  inclined  her  instinctively  to  the 
old  feudal  idea  that  even  genius,  if  poor,  must  wait  a  hum 
ble  servitor  on  wealth  and  rank,  and  where  a  New-England 
girl  would  have  been  saying  to  herself,  "  This  gifted,  edu 
cated  man  is  my  equal,  and,  whether  I  want  to  or  not,  I 
ought  to  treat  him  as  such,"  she  was  not  troubled  at  all. 
To  her,  he  was  her  father's  clerk  and  man-of -all-work,  a 
most  useful,  trusted,  and  agreeable  servant,  and  she  was 
kind  to  him  as  such.  Indeed  the  little  autocrat  was  kind 
to  every  one  that  pleased  her.  She  was  a  benign  queen 
to  obedient  subjects,  but  woe  to  those  who  were  other 
wise. 

To  Dennis,  however,  though  he  realized  it  not,  she  was 
becoming  as  the  very  apple  of  his  eye.  He  was  learning 


130  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

to  regard  her  with  a  deeper  interest  because  of  the  very 
defects  that  he  plainly  recognized.  While  on  the  one  hand 
he  had  the  enthusiastic  love  caused  by  his  admiration  for 
her,  on  the  other  he  felt  the  tenderer  and  greater  love  which 
was  the  result  of  pity,  lie  tried  to  account  for  his  feelings 
•toward  her  by  the  usual  sophistries  of  unconscious  lovers 
It  was  friendship  ;  it  was  artistic  interest  in  her  beauty  ; 
it  was  the  absorbing,  unselfish  regard  of  a  Christian  for 
one  providentially  commended  to  him  to  be  led  out  of  dark 
ness  into  light.  How  could  he  help  thinking  of  one  for 
whom  he  prayed  night  and  morning  and  every  hour  in  the 
day  ?  It  was  all  this,  but  he  was  soon  to  learn  that  it  was 
a  great  deal  more.  And  so  the  days  of  occupation  and 
companionship  passed  ;  the  spell  worked  on  with  increas 
ing  and  bewildering  power,  and  the  crisis  could  not  be 
delayed  much  longer. 

One  morning  in  the  latter  part  of  April  she  seemed  more 
gracious  than  usual.  Their  labors  were  drawing  to  a  close, 
and,  as  he  had  proved  so  tasteful  and  efficient  in  the  store, 
she  concluded  that  he  might  be  equally  useful  in  other 
ways  and  places.  She  could  command  him  at  the  store, 
but  not  in  respect  to  a  task  that  she  had  in  view  ;  so  she 
adopted  a  little  feminine  artifice  as  old  as  the  time  when 
Eve  handed  Adam  the  apple,  and  she  looked  at  him  in  such 
a  way  that  he  could  not  refuse. 

Blind,  honest  Dennis,  it  is  needless  to  say,  saw  nothing 
of  this  little  strategy  of  which  he  was  destined  to  be  the 
happy,  willing  victim,  and  his  love  expanded  and  bloomed 
under  the  genial  light  of  her  presence  and  kindness,  like 
the  flowers  of  the  convolvulus  in  a  bright  dawn  of  June. 
She  brought  her  general  graciousness  to  a  definite  and 
blissful  climax  by  saying,  when  about  to  go  home,  "  Well, 
Mr.  Fleet,  you  have  done  better  than  usual  to-day,  and  I 
certainly  must  give  you  credit  for  possessing  more  taste 
than  any  young  man  of  my  acquaintance." 

Dennis's  heart  gave  as  great  a  bound  as  if  the  laurel 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  131 

9 

crown  of  all  the  Olympic  games  liad  been  placed  upon  his 
brow. 

"  I  am  now  going  to  ask  a  favor,"  she  continued. 

"  You  may  command  me,  Miss  Ludolph,"  interrupted 
Dennis. 

"  Xo,  not  in  this  case,"  she  replied.  "Whatever  you 
do  will  be  regarded  as  a  personal  favor  to  me.  At  the 
same  time  it  will  afford  you  scope  for  such  display  of  your 
taste  as  will  secure  many  compliments." 

"  If  I  am  able  to  satisfy  you  I  shall  be  morerthan  com 
pensated,"  said  Dennis,  with  a  bow. 

She  smiled  and  thought  to  herself,  "  That  isn't  bad  for 
a  porter  and  man-of  -all-work,"  and  explained  as  follows  :  — 

"  Some  young  ladies  and  gentlemen  have  decided  upon 
giving  an  entertainment,  consisting  of  music,  'tableaux, 
and  statuary.  Now,  in  regard  to  the  two  latter  parts,  we 
need  above  all  things  some  person  of  taste  like  yourself, 
whose  critical  eye  and  dexterous  hand  will  insure  every 
thing  to  be  just  right.  You  will  be  a  sort  of  general  stage 
manager  and  superintendent,  you  know.  I  feel  sure  you 
will  be  all  the  more  willing  to  enter  upon  this  work  when 
you  know  that  the  proceeds  are  to  go  toward  the  Church 
of  the  Holy  Virgin.  This  is  going  to  be  a  very  select 
affair,  and  the  tickets  are  five  dollars  each." 

"Is  it  a  Protestant  church?"    asked  Dennis,  in  some 


"  Oh,  certainly,"  she  answered,  with  a  peculiar  smile, 
"  an  Episcopal  church." 

"  It  seems  a  strange  name  for  a  Protestant  church,"  said 
Dennis.  "It  is  enough  for  me  that  you  wish  it  ;  at  the 
same  time  it  certainly  is  a  pleasure  to  contribute  what  little 
I  can  to  aid  any  Christian  organization." 

"Come,  Mr.  Fleet,  you  are  narrow,"  she  said,  with  a 
controversial  twinkle  in  her  eye.  "  Why  not  toward  a 
Catholic  church  ?" 

"  I  fear  that  all  people  with  decided  religious  opinions 


132  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

are  sometimes  regarded  as  narrow,"  he  answered,  with  a 
smile. 

"That  is  an  inadequate  answer  to  my  question,"  she 
said  ;  "  but  I  will  not  find  fault  since  you  have  so  good- 
naturedly  acceded  to  my  request.  Come  to  No.  —  Wabash 
Avenue  at  three  this  afternoon.  Papa  gives  you  leave  of 
absence." 

She  vanished,  and  figuratively  the  sun  went  down  to 
Dennis,  and  he  was  in  twilight  till  he  should  see  her  again. 
He  looked  forward  to  the  afternoon  with  almost  feverish 
eagerness,  for  several  reasons.  It  would  be  his  first  intro 
duction  to  "  good  society,"  for  as  such  the  unsophisticated 
youth  regarded  the  prospect.  He  had  tLe  natural  longing 
of  a  young,  healthful  nature  for  the  companionship  of  those 
of  his  own  age  and  culture,  and  his  life  in  the  great  city 
had  often  been  very  lonely.  He  expected,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  to  be  treated  as  an  equal  at  the  artistic  entertain 
ment  in  which  he  was  to  participate.  In  his  business  rela 
tions  at  the  store  he  had  taken  a  subordinate  position  and 
made  up  his  mind  to  the  logical  consequences.  But  now 
that  he  was  invited  to  a  private  house,  and  would  appear 
there  possessing  all  the  qualities  of  a  gentleman,  he  surely 
would  be  treated  as  one.  "Is  not  this  Chicago,  whose 
citizens  were  nearly  all  poor  a  few  years  ago  ?"  he  thought ; 
"  and  surely,  if  what  Miss  Ludolph  says  is  true,  I  have  ad 
vantages  in  my  taste  over  most  poor  young  men."  More 
over,  it  was  his  ideal  of  an  entertainment,  where  art  and 
music  should  take  the  place  of  the  coarser  pleasures  of  eat 
ing,  drinking,  and  dancing.  Chief  of  all,  Christine  would 
be  there,  and  even  he  in  his  blindness  became  a  little  un 
easy  and  self-conscious  as  he  realized  how  this  thought 
towered  above  the  others. 

She  had  given  him  a  list  of  the  things  he  was  to  bring 
with  him  in  the  afternoon,  and  he  occupied  every  spare 
moment  in  getting  them  ready.  At  a  quarter  past  two  he 
summoned  the  carman  of  the  store,  and  they  loaded  up  the 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  133 

miscellaneous  cargo  needed  for  the  coming  mysteries,  and 
by  three  all  were  before  the  large  elegant  mansion  to  which 
he  had  been  directed.  Dennis  rang  the*  bell  and  was  shown 
by  a  servant  into  the  front  parlor,  where  he  found  Miss 
Ludolph,  Miss  Brown,  a  tall,  haughty  brunette,  and  the 
young  lady  of  the  house,  Miss  Winthrpp,  a  bright,  sunny- 
faced  blonde,  and  two  or  three  other  young  ladies  of  no 
special  coloring  or  character,  being  indebted  mainly  to 
their  toilets  for  their  attractions.  Dennis  bowed  to  Miss 
Ludolph,  and  then  turned  toward  the  other  ladies,  expect 
ing  as  a  matter  of  course  to  be  introduced.  No  introduction 
came,  but  his  expectant  manner  was  so  obvious  that  Miss 
Ludolph  colored  and  looked  annoyed,  and  the  other  young 
ladies  tittered  outright. 

Advancing  a  step  or  two  she  said,  coldly,  "  Mr.  Fleet, 
you  may  help  Mapes  carry  the  things  into  the  back  parlor, 
and  then  we  will  direct  you  as  to  the  arrangement." 

Dennis  crimsoned  painfully.  At  first  he  was  too  con 
fused  to  think,  and  merely  obeyed  mechanically.  Then 
came  the  impulse  to  say  boldly  that  this  kind  of  thing 
might  answer  at  the  store,  but  not  here,  and  he  nearly  car 
ried  it  out ;  but  soon  followed  the  sober  second  thought, 
that  such  action  would  bring  a  blight  over  all  his  pros 
pects,  and  involve  the  loss  of  his  position  at  the  store. 
Such  giving  way  to  passion  would  injure  only  himself. 
They  would  laugh,  and  merely  suffer  a  momentary  annoy 
ance  ;  to  him  and  his  the  result  would  be  most  disastrous. 
Why  should  he  let  those  who  cared  not  a  jot  for  him  cause 
such  sad  injury  ? 

By  the  time  he  had  carried  his  first  armful  into  the  back 
parlor,  he  had  resolved  for  Ms  mother  and  sisters'  sakes 
that  he  would  go  through  the  following  scenes  as  well  as 
he  could,  and  then  turn  his  back  on  society  till  he  could 
enter  it  a  recognized  gentleman  ;  and  with  compressed  lips 
and  flashing  eye  he  mentally  vowed  that  that  day  should 
soon  come. 


134  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

As  he  was  unpacking  his  materials  he  could  not  help 
hearing  the  conversation  in  the  front  parlor. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  presumption  ?"  exclaimed  Miss 
Brown.  "  He  evidently  expected  to  be  introduced,  and 
that  we  should  rise  and  courtesy  all  around." 

"  He  must  have  seen  better  days,  for  he  certainly  ap 
peared  like  a  gentleman,"  said  Miss  Winthrop. 

"  I  should  hardly  give  that  title  to  a  man  who  swept  a 
store  out  every  morning, ' '  replied  Miss  Brown. 

"  No  indeed  !"  chorused  the  three  colorless  young  ladies. 

"  I  know  nothing  about  this  young  man,"  said  Miss  Win- 
throp,  ruffling  her  plumage  somewhat  for  an  argument,  of 
wh>ch  she  was  fond  ;  "  but,  as  a  case  in  hand,  suppose  a 
highly  educated  and  refined  man  for  some  reason  swept  a 
store  out  every  morning,  what  would  you  call  him  ?"  and 
she  looked  around  as  if  she  had  given  a  poser. 

The  colorless  young  ladies  looked  blank,— their  natural 
expression. 

"  Nonsense  !"  said  the  positive  Miss  Brown  ;  "such  men 
don't  sweep  stores.  He  may  have  passed  current  in  some 
country  village,  but  that  is  not  our  set." 

"But  the  case  is  certainly  supposable,"  retorted  Miss 
"Winthrop,  more  intent  upon  her  argument  than  upon  Den 
nis.  "Come,  what  does  the  Countess  say?"  she  asked, 
turning  to  Christine  ;  for  that  was  the  familiar  name  by 
which  she  went  among  her  young  companions. 

"  The  case  is  not  supposable,  but  actual,"  she  answered, 
so  distinctly  that  it  seemed  that  she  meant  Dennis  to  hear. 
"  As  far  as  I  have  any  means  of  judging,  he  is  a  refined, 
educated  man,  and  I  have  learned  from  papa  that  his 
motive  in  sweeping  the  store  is  the  support  of  his  mother 
and  sisters — certainly  a  very  worthy  one.  To  your  ques 
tion,  Susie,  I  answer  unhesitatingly  that  in  accordance 
with  your  American  principles  and  professions  he  is  a 
gentleman,  and  you  ought  to  treat  him  as  such.  But  you 
Americans  are  sometimes  wonderfully  inconsistent,  and 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  135 

there  is_pften  a  marvellously  wide  margin  between  your 
boasted  equality  and  the  reality.  Now  in  Europe  these 
questions  have  been  settled  for  ages,  and  birth  and  rank 
define  a  person's  position  accurately." 

"  I  do  not  believe  in  equality,"  said  Miss  Brown,  with  a 
toss  of  her  head.  (Her  father  was  a  mighty  brewer,  but 
he  and  his  were  in  character  and  antecedents  something 
like  the  froth  on  their  own  beer.) 

Miss  Winthrop  was  a  little  embarrassed  at  finding  her 
supposed  case  a  real  one,  for  it  might  involve  some  practi 
cal  action  on  her  part.  Many  an  ardent  advocate  of  the 
people  in  theory  gives  them  practically  the  cold  shoulder, 
and  is  content  to  stay  on  the  summit  of  Mt.  Olympus. 
She  was  a  girl  of  good  impulses  and  strong  convictions  of 
abstract  right,  but  rarely  had  either  the  courage  or  ths 
opportunity  to  carry  them  out.  She  was  of  the  old  Boston 
family  of  Winthrops,  and  therefore  could  meet  Miss  Lu- 
dolph  on  her  own  ground  in  the  way  of  pedigree. 

But,  however  Dennis  fared,  she  felt  that  she  must  look 
after  her  argument,  and,  having  conquered  theoretically 
as  far  as  America  was  concerned,  determined  to  carry  war 
into  Europe,  so  she  said  :  "  Are  you  not  mistaken  in  saying 
that  birth  and  rank  only  settle  position  abroad  ?  Some  of 
the  most  honored  names  there  are  or  were  untitled." 

"  Oh,  certainly,  but  they  were  persons  of  great  genius, 
and  genius  is  the  highest  patent  of  nobility.  But  I  leave 
you  republicans  to  settle  this  question  to  suit  yourselves. 
I  am  going  to  look  after  the  preparations  for  this  evening, 
as  I  have  set  my  heart  on  a  success  that  shall  ring  through 
the  city/' 

But  they  all  flocked  after  her  into  the  back  parlor,  now 
doubly  interesting  as  it  contained  an  object  of  curiosity  in 
Dennis  Fleet, — a  veritable  gentleman  who  swept  a  store. 


136  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

CHRISTINE'S  IDEA  OF  CHRISTIANS. 

THE  large  apartment  where  the  amateur  performers  ex 
pected  to  win  their  laurels  was  now  filled  with  all  the  para 
phernalia  needed  to  produce  musical,  artistic,  and  scenic 
effects.  Much  had  been  gathered  before  Dennis's  arrival, 
and  his  cart-load  added  all  that  was  necessary.  Everything 
seemed  in  inextricable  confusion. 

"  The  idea  of  having  anything  here  to-night !"  exclaimed 
Miss  Winthrop.  "  It  will  take  us  a  week  to  get  things 
arranged." 

"  The  thing  is  hopeless,"  said  the  blank  young  ladies. 

Even  Christine  looked  somewhat  dismayed,  but  she  said, 
"  Remember  we  have  till  half-past  eight." 

"I  will  call  two  or  three  of  the  servants,"  said  Miss 
Brown. 

"  I  beg  of  you  do  not,  at  least  not  yet,"  exclaimed  Chris 
tine.  "  What  will  their  clumsy  hands  do  in  work  like  this, 
but  mar  everything  ?  I  have  great  faith  in  Mr.  Fleet's 
abilities,"  she  continued,  turning  toward  Dennis,  with  an 
enchanting  smile,  and  resuming  the  tactics  of  the  morning. 
Though  the  smile  went  to  Dennis's  heart  like  a  fiery  arrow, 
his  pride,  thoroughly  aroused,  made  him  cold  and  self-pos 
sessed.  He  naturally  assumed  the  manner  possible  only  to 
the  true  gentleman  who,  though  wronged,  chooses  not  to 
show  his  feelings  save  by  a  grave,  quiet  dignity.  In  view 
\i  their  action  and  manner,  he  consciously  felt  himself 
•,,  ^heir  superior ;  and  this  impression,  like  an  atmosphere, 
was  felt  by  them  also.  As  they  looked  upon  his  tall,  erect 
form,  manly  bearing,  and  large  dark  eyes,  in  which  still 
lurked  the  fire  of  an  honest  indignation,  they  felt  the  im 
possibility  of  ordering  him  about  like  Mapes  the  carman. 
They  regarded  him  for  a  moment  in  awkward  silence,  not 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  137 

knowing  what  to  do  or  say.  Even  haughty  Christine  was 
embarrassed,  for  the  stronger  spirit  was  present  and  thor 
oughly  aroused,  and  it  overpowered  the  weaker  natures. 
Christine  had  never  seen  Dennis  look  like  that,  and  did  not 
know  that  he  could.  He  was  so  different  from  the  eager, 
humble  servitor  that  heretofore  had  interpreted  her  very 
wishes,  even  before  they  were  spoken  !  Moreover,  the 
success  of  their  entertainment  now  depended  upon  him, 
and  she  felt  that  he  was  in  a  mood  requiring  delicate  treat 
ment,  and  that  she  could  not  order  him  around  in  the  role 
to  which  she  had  assigned  him.  And  yet  if  she  had  known 
him,  she  might,  for  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  go  through 
even  the  most  menial  service  with  proud  humility,  and 
then  be  careful  not  to  be  so  caught  again  ;  and,  when 
Dennis  had  resolved  upon  a  thing,  that  settled  the  ques 
tion  so  far  as  he  was  concerned.  Seeing  Christine's  hesi 
tation  and  embarrassment,  he  stepped  forward  and  said  : 
"Miss  Ludolph,  if  you  will  indicate  your  wishes  I  will 
carry  them  out  as  rapidly  as  possible.  I  can  soon  bring 
order  out  of  this  confusion  ;  and  you  must  have  some  plan 
of  arrangement." 

She  gave  him  a  quick,  grateful  glance,  that  thawed  more 
of  his  ice  than  he  cared  to  have  melt  so  quickly. 

"  Of  course  we  have, ' '  said  she.  "  This  is  but  the  ner- 
vous  hesitation  before  the  shock  of  a  battle  that  has  all 
been  planned  on  paper.  Here  is  our  programme." 

"  All  battles  do  not  go  forward  in  the  field  as  planned  on 
paper,  if  my  feeble  memory  serves  me,"  said  Miss  Winthrop, 
maliciously. 

"I  grant  you  that,"  said  Christine,  quietly,  "and  you 
need  not  tax  your  memory  so  greatly  to  prove  it." 

She  was  now  very  kind  and  gracious  to  Dennis,  believing 
that  to  be  the  best  policy.  It  usually  is,  but  she  received 
no  special  proof  of  it  from  him  :  he  listened  alike  to  re 
quest,  suggestion,  and  compliment.  There  was  nothing 
sullen  or  morose  in  his  appearance,  nothing  resentful  or 


138  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

rude.  With  the  utmost  respect  he  heard  all  she  said,  and 
carried  out  her  wishes  with  that  deft,  graceful  promptness 
in  which  he  had  few  equals.  At  the  same  time  his  manner 
was  that  of  one  who  thoroughly  respected  himself, — that 
of  a  refined  and  cultivated  person,  who,  having  become 
committed  to  a  disagreeable  part,  performed  it  with  only 
the  protest  of  dignified  silence. 

As  his  first  step,  he  cleared  a  space  for  action,  and  ar 
ranged  everything  to  be  in  view  when  needed.  The  ra 
pidity  with  which  order  emerged  from  confusion  was  mar 
vellous  to  the  young  ladies. 

Then  he  took  their  programme,  studied  it  a  few  moments, 
and  compared  it  with  the  pictures  of  the  scenes  they  wished 
to  imitate.  He  then  arranged  for  these  one  after  another, 
placing  everything  needed  within  reach,  and  where  it  could 
readily  be  seen,  making  the  combinations  beforehand  as 
far  as  possible.  As  he  worked  so  intelligently  and  skil 
fully,  requiring  so  few  explanations,  the  young  ladies  ex 
changed  significant  glances,  and  strolled  into  the  front 
parlor.  They  must  express  an  opinion. 

"I  declare,  Christine,"  said  Miss  Winthrop,  "it  is  a 
shame  that  you  did  not  introduce  him,  for  he  is  a  gentle 
man.  He  works  like  a  captive  prince." 

"  How  romantic  !"  gushed  the  colorless  young  ladies, 

"  Nonsense  !"  said  Miss  Brown  ;  "  I  hate  to  see  any  one 
in  his  position  putting  on  such  airs." 

As  soon  as  she  had  seen  Dennis  fairly  at  work  just  like 
her  mother's  servants,  or  her  father's  men,  she  felt  that  he 
ought  to  be  treated  as  such,— riches  being  Miss  Brown's 
patent  of  nobility  ;  and  she  resolved  if  possible  to  lower  his 
ridiculous  pride,  as  she  regarded  it.  Miss  Brown  was  a 
very  handsome,  stylish  girl  of  a  certain  type,  but  she  no 
more  understood  Dennis's  feelings  than  she  did  Sanskrit. 

Christine  said  nothing,  but  admitted  to  herself,  with  a 
secret  wonder,  that  Dennis  awakened  in  her  a  respect,  a 
sort  of  fear,  that  no  other  man  had  inspired,  save  her 


BARRIERS  B  URNED  A  WA  Y.  139 

father.  There  was  something  in  his  manner,  though  alto 
gether  respectful,  that  made  her  feel  that  he  was  not  to  be 
trifled  with.  This  impression  was  decidedly  heightened 
when,  a  few  moments  later,  Miss  Brown,  pursuant  of  her 
resolution  to  lower  Dennis's  pride,  ordered  him  in  an  offen 
sive  manner  to  do  something  for  her  that  had  no  connec 
tion  with  the  entertainment.  At  first  he  acted  as  if  he  had 
not  heard  her,  but  his  rising  color  showed  that  he  had.  In 
spite  of  warning  glances  from  Christine  and  Miss  Win- 
throp,  she  repeated  her  request  in  a  loud,  imperious 
tone. 

Dennis  drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  and,  turning 
his  dark  eyes  full  upon  her,  said,  firmly,  "  I  am  ever  ready 
to  offer  any  service  that  a  gentleman  can  to  a  lady,  but 
surely  I  am  not  your  footman." 

Your  pride  is  ridiculous,  sir.  You  are  here  to  help, 
and  will  be  paid  for  it.  This  is  my  house,  and  I  expect 
persons  of  your  position,  while  in  it,  to  do  as  they  are 
bidden." 

"  Since  such  are  the  rules  and  principles  of  your  house, 
permit  me  at  once  to  leave  you  in  full  possession  ;"  and 
he  was  about  to  retire  with  a  manner  as  cold  as  Mr,  Ludolph 
himself  could  have  assumed,  and  as  haughty,  when  a  light 
hand  fell  upon  his  arm.  Looking  down  he  met  the  deep 
blue  eyes  of  Christine  Ludolph  lifted  pleadingly  to  his. 

"Mr.  Fleet,  you  need  not  do  what  is  asked.  It  is  not 
right  to  require  it.  In  fact  we  all  owe  you  an  apology. " 
Then,  in  a  low,  quick  tone,  she  added,  "  Will  you  not  stay 
as  a  favor  to  me?" 

She  felt  his  arm  tremble  under  her  hand,  there  was  a 
moment's  hesitation,  then  he  replied,  in  the  same  manner, 
"  Miss  Ludolph,  you  can  command  me  on  this  occasion " 
(there  was  no  promise  for  the  future)  ;  and  then  he  turned 
to  his  work  as  if  resolved  to  see  and  know  nothing  else  till 
the  ordeal  ended. 

In  spite  of  herself  Christine  blushed,  but  taking  Miss 


140  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Brown  by  the  arm  she  led  her  aside  and  gave  her  a  vigor 
ous  lecture. 

"Are  you  sane?"  she  said.  "Do  you  not  remember 
that  nearly  a  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  tickets  are  sold, 
and  that  the  people  will  be  here  by  half-past  eight,  and  at 
nine  we  must  appear?  Even  after  what  he  has  done,  if 
you  should  drive  him  away  the  thing  would  be  a  failure, 
and  we  should  be  the  ridiculous  town-talk  for  a  year. ' ' 

"  But  I  hate—1 

"  No  matter  what  you  hate.  Treat  him  as  you  please  to 
morrow.  We  need  him  now  ;"  and  so  the  petted,  wilful 
girl,  spoiled  by  money  and  flattery,  was  kept  under  re 
straint,  i 

A  great  deal  of  preparation  was  required  for  the  last  two 
pieces  on  the  programme,  and  the  young  ladies  grouped 
themselves  not  far  off  while  Dennis  worked.  Christine 
explained  from  time  to  time  as  the  natural  leader  of  the 
party.  Still  an  awkward  silence  followed  the  scene  above 
described.  This  restraint  could  not  long  endure,  and  one 
of  the  colorless  young  ladies  asked  a  question  that  led  to 
more  than  she  intended,  and,  indeed,  more  than  she  under 
stood. 

"  Christine,  what  do  you  do^vith  yourself  Sundays  ? 
Your  pew  is  not  occupied  once  m  an  age." 

"  I  usually  paint  most  of  the  day,  and  ride  out  with  papa 
in  the  afternoon  when  it  is  pleasant." 

"  Why,  you  are  a  perfect  little  heathen  !"  they  all  ex 
claimed  in  chorus. 

"Yes,  I  suppose  I  am  worse  than  a  pagan,"  she  said, 
"  for  I  not  only  do  not  believe  in  your  superstitions,  but 
have  none  of  my  own." 

"  What  do  you  believe  in,  then  ?"  asked  Miss  Winthrop. 

"Art,  music,  fame.,  power." 

She  announced  her  creed  so  coolly  and  decidedly  that 
Dennis  lifted  a  startled  face  to  hers.  She  saw  his  grieved, 
astonished  expression,  and  it  amused  her  very  much. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


Henceforth    she   spoke    as  much   for  his  benefit  as   for 
theirs. 

"  If  you  would  be  equally  honest,"  she  continued,  "  you 
would  find  that  your  creeds  also  are  very  different  from 
the  one  in  the  prayer-book." 

"And  what  would  mine  be,  pray?"  asked  one  of  the 
colorless  young  ladies. 

"  I  will  sum  it  up  in  one  sentence,  Miss  Jones, — '  Keep 
in  the  fashion.' " 

"Tthink  "that  you  are  very  unjust.  I'm  sure  I  go  to 
church  regularly,  and  attend  a  great  many  services  in  Lent 
and  on  Saints'  days.  IVe  been  confirmed,  and  all  that." 

"  Yes,  it  is  the  thing  to  do  in  your  set.  Now,  here  is 
Miss  Winthrop,  a  Presbyterian,  who  manifests  quite  an 
other  religious  phase." 

"  Pray  what  is  mine  ?"  asked  that  lady,  laughing. 

"  Oh,  you  want  hair-splitting  in  regard  to Jhe  high  doc 
trines,— clear,  brilliant  arguments,  cutting  like  sharp, 
merciless  steel  into  the  beliefs  of  otiier  denominations. 
Tlueiv-aiter  your  ism  has  been  glorified  for  an  hour  on 
Sunday  morning,  and  all  other  isms  pierced  and  lashed, 
you  descend  from  your  intellectual  heights,  eat  a  good 
dinner,  take  a  nap,  and  live  like  the  rest  of  us  till  the  next 
Sabbath,  when  (if  it  is  a  fine  day)  you  climb  some  other 
theological  peak,  far  beyond  the  limits  of  perpetual  snow, 
and  there  take  another  bird's-eye  view  of  something  that 
might  be  found  very  different  if  you  were  nearer  to  it." 
L  ' '  And  what  is  my  phase  ?"  asked  Miss  Brown. 

"  Oh,  you  are  an  out-and-out  sinner,  and  do  just  what 
you  please,  in  spite  of  priest  or  prayer-book,"  said  Chris- 
lino,  with  a  l;iu.'j;h  in  whirli  till  the  ladies  joined. 

"  Well,"  said  Miss  Brown,  "I  do  not  think  that  I  am 
worse  than  the  rest  of  you." 

"Not  in  the  least,"  replied  Christine.  "We  all  have 
some  form  of  religion,  or  none  at  all,  as  it  accords  with  our 
peculiar  tastes." 


(   H2  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

"  And  you  mean  to  say  that  having  a  religion  or  not  is  a 
mere  matter  of  taste  ?"  asked  Miss  Winthrop. 

"  Yes,  I  should  say  it  was,  and  practically  that  it  is. 
You  ladies,  and  nearly  all  that  I  have  met,  seem  to  choose 
a  style  of  religion  suited  to  your  tastes  ;  and  the  tastes  of 
many  incline  them  to  have  no  religion  at  all." 

"  Why,  Miss  Ludolph  I"  exclaimed  Miss  Winthrop,  her 
cheeks  glowing  with  honest  dissent  and  zeal  for  the  truth  ; 
"  our  religion  is  taken  from  the  Bible.  Do  you  not  believe 
in  the  Bible  ?" 

"  No  !  not  in  the  sense  in  which  you  ask  the  question  ; 
nor  you  either,  my  charming  Miss  Winthrop." 

"  Indeed  I  do,  every  word  of  it,"  said  the  orthodox 
young  lady,  hotly. 

"  Let  me  test  you.  Miss  Brown,  have  you  such  a  book 
in  the  house  ?  Oh,  yes,  here  is  an  elegantly  bound  copy, 
but  looking  as  if  never  opened.  And  now,  Miss  Winthrop, 
this  city  is  fall  of  all  sorts  of  horrid  people,  living  in  alleys 
and  tenement  houses.  They  are  poor,  half -naked,  hungry, 
and  sometimes  starving.  Many  are  in  prison,  and  more 
ought  to  be  ;  many  are  strangers,  more  utterly  alone  and 
lonely  in  our  crowded  streets  than  on  a  desert  island.  They 
are  suffering  from  varieties  of  disgusting  disease,  and  hav 
ing  a  hard  time  generally.  How  many  hungry  people  have 
you  fed  ?  How  many  strangers  (I  do  not  mean  distin 
guished  ones  from  abroad)  have  you  taken  in  and  com 
forted  ?  How  many  of  the  naked  have  you  clothed  ?  And 
how  long  is  your  list  of  the  sick  and  imprisoned  that  you 
have  visited,  my  luxurious  little  lady  ?" 

A  real  pallor  overspread  Miss  Winthrop's  sunny  face,  for 
she  saw  what  was  coming,  but  she  answered,  honestly, 
"  I  have  done  practically  nothing  of  all  this."  Then  she 
added  :  "  Papa  and  mamma  are  not  willing  that  I  should 
visit  such  places  and  people.  I  have  asked  that  I  might, 
but  they  always  discourage  me,  and  tell  of  the  awful  ex 
periences  of  those  who  do.'* 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  Then  they  don't  believe  the  Bible,  either,"  said  Chris 
tine  ;  "for  if  they  did  they  would  insist  on  your  doing  it  ; 
and  if  you  believed  you  would  do  all  this  in  spite  of  them  ; 
for  see  what  is  written  here  ;  the  very  Being  that  you  wor 
ship  and  dedicate  your  churches  to  will  say,  because  of 
your  not  doing  this,  '  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  ever 
lasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.'  And 
this  is  but  one  of  many  similar  passages.  Now  all  this  is 
a  monstrous  fable  to  me.  The  idea  of  any  such  experi 
ences  awaiting  my  light-hearted  little  Sybarite  here  !" 

Miss  Winthrop  had  buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  and 
was  trembling  from  head  to  foot.  ^The_word^of  God  never 
seemed  so  real  and  true  before  as  now  when  uttered  by  an 


"  I  don't  bi'lievo  there  i.s  any  such  pluco  or  things,"  said 
Miss  Brown,  bluntly. 

'  '  There  spake  my  mature  and  thoughtful  friend  who  is 
not  to  be  imposed  upon,"  said  Christine,  with  a  touch  of 
irony  in  her  tone. 

Dennis  had  listened  in  sad  wonder.     Such  WOTdsjjfeynl- 
cal  unbelief  were  in  dark,  terrible  contrajflwith  the  fair 
young  face.     lie  saw  the  mind  and  training  of  her  father 
m^lfttnrsaid,  but  he  bitterly  condemned  the  worldly,  in 
consistent  life  of  multitudes  in  the  church  who  do  more  to 
confirm  unbelievers  than  all  their  sophistries.     But  as  she  < 
went  on,  seemingly  having  the  argument  all  her  own  way,, 
his  whole  soul  burned  to  meet  and  refute  her  fatal  views.i 
For  her  own  sake  and  the  others'  as  well  as  for  the  dishon~\ 
ored  name  of  his  Lord,  he  must  in  some  way  turn  the  tide. 
Though  regarded  as  a  humble  servitor,  having  no  right  toi 
take  part  in  the  conversation,  he  determined  that  his  hands, 
must  lift  up  the  standard  of  truth  if  no  others  would  or  j 
could.     To  his  joy  he  found  that  the  programme  would' 
soon  give  him  the  coveted  opportunity. 

Christine  went  on  with  a  voice  as  smooth  and  musical  as 
the  flow  of  a  stream  over  a  glacier. 


144  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

...  "I  have  read  the  Bible  several  times,  and  that  is  more 
than  all  of  you  can  say,  I  think.  It  is  a  wonderful  book, 
and  has  been  the  inspiration  of  some  of  our  best  art.  There 
are  parts  that  I  enjoy  reading  very  much  for  their  sublimity 
and  peculiarity.  But  who  pretends  to  Iwe  as  this  old  and 
partially  obsolete  book  teaches  ?  Take  my  father  for  in 
stance.  All  the  gentlemen  in  the  church  that  I  know  of 
can  do,  and  are  accustomed  to  do,  just  what  he  does,  and 
some  I  think  do  much  worse  ;  and  yet  he  is  an  infidel,  as 
you  would  term  him.  And  as  to  the  ladies,  not  the  Bible, 
but  fashion  rules  them  with  a  rod  of  iron.  I  have  cut  free 
from  it  all,  and  art  shall  be  my  religion  and  the  inspiration 
of  my  life." 

As  Christine  talked  on,  the  twilight  deepened,  and  Den 
nis  worked  with  increasing  eagerness. 

"  After  all,"  she  continued,  "it  is  only  history  repeating 
itself.  The  educated  mind  to-day  stands  in  the  same  atti 
tude  toward  Christianity  as  that  of  the  cultured  mind  of 
Greece  and  Rome  toward  the  older  mythology  in  the  second 
century.  Then  as  now  the  form  of  religion  was  kept  up, 
but  belief  in  its  truth  was  fast  dying  out.  The  cities 
abounded  in  gorgeous  temples,  and  were  thronged  with 
worshippers,  but  they  sacrificed  at  the  dictates  of  fashion, 
custom,  and  law,  not  of  faith.  So  our  cities  are  adorned 
with  splendid  churches,  and  fashion  and  the  tastes  of  the 
congregation  decide  as  to  the  form  of  service.  The  sects 
differ  widely  with  each  other,  and  all  differ  with  the  Bible. 
The  ancients  gave  no  more  respect  to  what  was  regarded 
as  the  will  of  their  imaginary  deities  than  do  modern  Chris 
tians  to  the  precepts  of  the  Bible.  People  went  to  the  cere 
monies,  got  through  with  them,  and  then  did  what  they 
pleased  ;  and  so  they  do  now. 

"Take  for  instance  one  of  your  commonest  doctrines, 
that  of  prayer  :  the  majority  have  no  practical  belief  in  it. 
My  father  has  taken  me,  and  out  of  curiosity  I  have  at 
tended  several  prayer-meetings.  The  merest  fraction  of 


BARRIERS  BURNED   AW  AT. 


145 


the  congregation  are  present  at  the  best  of  times,  and  if 
the  night  is  stormy  the  number  out  is  ridiculously  small. 
Yet  all  profess  to  believe  that  the  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth 
wrtTbe  present,  and  that  it  is  His  will  that  they  should  be. 
Your  Bible  teaches  that  the  Being  who  controls  completely 
the  destiny  of  every  person  will  be  in  the  midst  of  ^  those 
gathered  in  His  name,  to  hear  and  answer  their  petitions. 
If  this  is  true,  then  no  earthly  ruler  was  ever  so  neglected 
and  insulted,  so  generally  ignored,  as  this  very  Deity  to 
whom  you  ascribe  unlimited  power,  and  from  whom  you 
say  you  receive  life  and  everything.  An  Eastern  despot 
would  take  off  the  heads  of  those  who  treated  him  in  such 
a  style  ;  and  a  republican  politician  would  scoff  at  the  idea 
of  giving  office  to  such  lukewarm  followers.  Why,  here 
in  Christian  Chicago  the  will  of  God  is  no  more  heeded  by 
tile  majority  than  that  of  the  Emperor  of  China,  and  the 
Bible  might  as  well  be  the  Koran.  Looking  at  these  facts 
Xfrom  my  impartial  standpoint,  I  am  driven  to  one  of  two 
alternatives :  either  you  regard  your  God  as  so  kind  and 
good,  so  merciful,  that  you  can  trespass  on  His  forbearance 
to  any  extent,  and  treat  Him  with  a  neglect  and  an  indiffer 
ence  that  none  would  manifest  toward  the  pettiest  earthlj 
potentate,  and  still  all  will  be  well  ;  o^r  ejse^you_huve_no 
real  practical  belief  in^your  religion.  ThmiglTnotvery 
charitably  inclined,  FcatmbTTthiuk  quite  so  meanly  of 
human  nature  as  to  take  the  former  view,  so  I  am  driven 
to  the  latter.  For  surely  no  man  who  wished  to  live  and 
prosper,  no  woman  who  loved  her  husband  and  children, 
could  so  coolly  and  continually  disregard  the  Deity  in 
whom  they  profess  to  believe,  with  the  old  Greek  poet, 
that  they  '  live,  move,  and  have  their  being.'  " 

The  twilight  deepened,  and  Christine  continued,  her 
words,  portraying  the  decline  of  faith,  according  ominously 
with  the  increasing  gloom. 

"  Why,  in  order  to  see  the  truth  of  what  I  am  saying, 
look  at  the  emblem  of  your  faith,— the  Cross.  All  its  his 


146 


If-     ''        ' 

BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


torical  associations  are  those  of  self-denial,  and  suffering 
for  others.  The  Founder  of  your  faith  endured  death 
upon  it.  He  was  a  great,  good  man  like  Socrates,  though 
no  doubt  a  mistaken  enthusiast.  (But  what  He  meant  He 
said  plainly  and  clearly,  as,  for  instance,  '  Whosoever  doth 
not  bear  his  cross  and  come  after  Me  cannot  be  My  dis 
ciple.'  I  admit  that  in  the  past  He  had  a  wonderful  fol 
lowing.  In  the  ages  of  martyrdom  multitudes  left  all,  and 
endured  all  that  fie  did,  for  His  sake.  But  so  there  have 
been  other  great  leaders  with  equally  devoted  followers. 
But 'in  this  practical  age  religious  enthusiasm  has  but  little 
chance.  What  crosses  do  the  members  of  the  Church  of 
the  Holy  Virgin  take  up  ?  and  what  are-  borne  by  your 
great  rich  church,  Miss  Winthrop  ?  The  shrewd  people  of 
this  day  manage  better,  and  put  their  crosses  on  top  of  the 
church.  I  suppose  they  reason  that  the  stone  tower  can 
carry  it  for  the  whole  congregation,  on  the  principle  of  a 
labor-saving  machine.  Bat,  honestly,  your  modern  dis 
ciples  are  no  more  like  their  Master  than  one  of  the  pale, 
slim,  white  kidded  gentlemen  who  will  be  here  to-night  is 
like  Richard  Coeur  de  Lion  as  he  led  a  charge  against  the 
Moslems.  (Your  cross  is  dwindling  to  a  mere  pretty  orna 
ment, — an  emblem  of  a  past  that  is  fast  fading  from  men's 
memories.  It  will  never  have  the  power  to  inspire  the 
heart  again,  as  when  the  Crusaders—" 

At  that  moment  their  eyes  were  blinded  by  a  sudden, 
dazzling  light.  There  was  a  general  and  startled  exclama 
tion,  and  then,  awe-struck  and  silent,  they  gazed  as  if 
spellbound  upon  a  luminous  cross  blazing  before  them. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

EQUAL   TO   AN   EMERGENCY. 

THE  fiery  cross  that  so  awed  Christine  and  her  little 
group  of  auditors  was  to  be  the  closing  scene  of  the  even- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  147 

ing  entertainment.  It  was  of  metal,  and  by  a  skilful  ad 
justment  of  jets  was  made  to  appear  as  if  all  aflame. 
While  the  others  were  intent  on  Christine's  words,  and  she 
in  the  interest  of  her  theme  had  quite  forgotten  him,  Den 
nis  made  all  his  arrangements,  and  at  the  critical  point  nar 
rated  in  the  preceding  chapter  he  turned  on  the  gas  with 
the  most  startling  effect.  It  seemed  a  living,  vivid  refuta 
tion  of  Christine's  words,  and  even  she  turned  pale.  After 
a  moment,  for  the  emblem  to  make  its  full  impression, 
Dennis  stepped  out  before  them  all,  his  face  lighted  up  by 
the  luminous  cross.  They  admitted  that  no  crusader  could 
look  more  earnest  and  brave  than  he. 

"  Miss  Ludolph,"  he  said,  in  a  firm,  yet  respectful  tone, 
"  I  should  evermore  be  unworthy  of  your  respect  and  con 
fidence, —what  is  more,  I  should  be  false  to  myself,  false  to 
my  faith, — should  I  remain  silent  in  view  of  what  I  have 
been  compelled  to  hear.  That  sacred  emblem  has  not  spent 
its  meaning,  or  its  power.  Millions  to-day  would  die  for 
the  sake  of  Him  who  suffered  on  it.  Many  even  of  those 
weakTlnconsistent  ones  that  you  have  so  justly  condemned 
would  part  with  life  rather  than  with  the  faint  hope  that 
centres  there,"  pointing  to  the  radiant  symbol. 

"  You  are  rude,  sir,"  said  Christine,  her  face  pale,  but 
her  eyes  flashing  in  turn. 

"  No,  he  is  right  !  he  is  right  !"  exclaimed  Miss  Win- 
throp,  springing  up  with  tears  in  her  eyes.  ' '  Undeserving 
as  I  am  of  the  name  of  Christian,  I  would  die,  I  know  I 
would  die,  before  I  would  give  up  my  poor  little  hope,— 
though  I  confess  you  make  me  fear  that  it  is  a  false  one. 
But  it's  the  best  I  have,  and  I  mean  it  shall  be  better.  I 
think  a  good  touch  of  persecution,  that  would  bring  people 
out,  would  do  the  church  more  good  than  anything 
else." 

"  Pardon  me,  Miss  Ludolph,"  continued  Dennis  ;  "but 
J  appeal  to  your  sense  of  justice.  Could  I  be  a  true  man 
and  be  silent,  believing  what  I  do  ?  Could  I  hear  the  name 


148  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

of  my  Best  Friend  thus  spoken  of,  and  say  not  one  ward 
in  His'belmlf  T 

"  But  I  spoke  most  highly  of  the  Christ  of  the  Bible." 

"  You  spoke  of  Him  as  a  great,  good,  but  mistaken  man, 

an  enthusiast.     To  me  He  is  the  mighty  God,  my  Divine 

Saviour,  to  whom  I  owe  infinitely  more  than  life.     You 

know  that  I  mean  no  disrespect  to  you,"  he  added,  with 

gentle  but  manly  courtesy.     "I  regret  more  deeply  than 

|  words  can  express  that  you  honestly  think  as  you  do.     But 

!  if  I  as  honestly  believe  the  Bible,  am  I  not  acting  as  you 
said  a  true  follower  ought  ?  For  I  assure  you  it  is  a  heavier 
crws  than  you  can  ever  know  to  speak  thus  unbidden 
where  I  am  regarded  on^jr  as  a  serving-man.  But  should 
I  not  be  false  and  cowardly  if  I  held  my  peace  ?  And  if 
you  afterward  should  know  that  I  claimed  the  name  of 
Christian,  would  you  not  despise  me  as  you  remembered 
this  scene  ?" 

Christine  bit  her  lip  and  hesitated,  but  her  sense  of  justice 
prevailed,  and  she  said,  "  I  not  only  pardon  you,  but  com 
mend  your  course  in  view  of  your  evident  sincerity." 

Dennis  replied  by  a  low  bow. 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  loud  ring  at  the  door. 

"There  come  the  gentlemen,"  exclaimed  Miss  Brown. 
"I  am  so  glad  !  O  dear  !  what  a  long,  uncomfortable 
preachment  we  have  had  !  Now  for  some  fun  !" 

The  colorless  young  ladies  had  stared  first  at  Christine, 
and  then  at  the  cross,  in  blank  amazement. 

At  the  word  "  gentlemen"  they  were  all  on  the  alert  and 
ready  for  real  life  ;  but  Miss  Winthrop  left  the  room  for  a 
short  time. 

A  handsome,  lively  youth  entered,  scattering  bows  and 
compliments  on  every  side  with  the  off-hand  ease  of  an 
accomplished  society  man.  He  paid  no  heed  to  Dennis, 
evidently  regarding  him  as  the  showman. 

"  Well,  ladies,  you  have  done  your  part,"  he  said  ;  "  your 
arrangements  seem  complete." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  149 

"Yes,  Mr.  Mellen  ;  but  where  is  our  tenor?"  asked 
Christine.  "  We  have  only  three-quarters  of  an  hour  for 
music  rehearsal,  before  we  mus,  retire  to  dress  for  our 
parts." 

"  Bad  news  for  you,  Miss  Ludolph,"  said  Mr.  Mellen, 
coming  to  her  side  ;  "  Archer  is  sick  and  can't  come." 

"  Can't  come  ?"  they  all  exclaimed  in  dismayed  chorus. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?"  asked  Miss  Winthrop,  anxiously, 
coming  in  at  that  moment. 

"  Matter  enough,"  said  Miss  Brown,  poutingly  ;  "  that 
horrid  Archer  has  gone  and  got  sick.  I  do  believe  he  did 
it  on  purpose.  He  did  not  know  his  parts  near  as  well  as 
he  ought,  and  he  has  taken  this  wag  to  get  out  of  it." 

"  But  he  promised  me  he  would  study  them  all  the  morn 
ing,"  s-aid  Christine.  "Oh,  I  am  so  sorry  !  What  shall 
we  do  ?  Our  entertainment  seems  fated  to  be  a  failure  ;" 
and  she  spoke  in  a  tone  of  deep  disappointment. 

"I  assure  you  I  feel  the  deepest  sympathy  for  you," 
said  Mr.  Mellen,  looking  tenderly  at  Christine,  "  but  1  did 
my  best.  I  tried  to  drag  Archer  here  out  of  his  sick-bed, 
and  then  I  ran  around  among  some  other  good  singers  that 
I  know,  but  none  would  venture.  They  said  the  music 
was  difficult,  and  would  require  much  practice,  and  that 
now  is  impossible." 

"  Oh,  isn't  it  too  bad  !"  mourned  Miss  Winthrop. 
"  The  programme  is  all  printed,  and  the  people  will  be  so 
disappointed  !  We  can't  have  that  splendid  duet  that  you 
and  Mr.  Archer  were  to  sing,  Christine.  I  have  a  score  of 
friends  who  were  coming  to  hear  that  alone." 

"  Oh,  as  for  that  matter,  half  our  music  is  spoiled,"  said 
Christine,  dejectedly.  "  Well,  this  is  the  last  time  I  at 
tempt  anything  of  the  kind.  How  in  the  world  we  are 
going  to  get  out  of  this  scrape  I  do  not  know.  The  tickets 
are  so  high,  and  so  much  has  been  said,  that  the  people  are 
expecting  a  great  deal,  and  there  is  every  prospect  of  a 
most  lame  and  impotent  conclusion." 


150  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

A  general  gloom  settled  upon  the  faces  of  all.  At  this 
moment  Dennis  stepped  forward  hesitatingly  and  said  to 
Christine,  "  Have  you  the  music  that  Mr.  Archer  was  to 
sing?" 

"  Certainly  !  do  you  suppose  it  was  of  the  kind  that  he 
could  extemporize  ?"  said  Miss  Brown,  pertly. 

"  Will  you  let  me  see  it  ?  If  you  are  willing,  perhaps  I 
can  assist  you  in  this  matter." 

All  turned  toward  him  with  a  look  of  great  surprise. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  that  from  the  man  who  sweeps 
Mr.  Ludolph's  store?"  asked  Miss  Brown,  in  a  loud 
whisper. 

"  I  think  the  fellow  is  as  presuming  as  he  is  ignorant," 
said  Mr.  Mellen,  so  plainly  that  all  heard  him. 

"  It  is  not  presuming,  sir,  to  offer  a  kindness  where  it  is 
needed,"  said  Dennis,  with  dignity,  "and  my  ignorance 
is  not  yet  proved.  The  presumption  is  all  on  your  part." 

Mr.  Mellen  flushed  and  was  about  to  answer  angrily 
when  Miss  Winthrop  said  hastily,  but  in  a  kindly  tone, 
"  But  really,  Mr.  Fleet,  much  of  our  music  is  new  and 
very  difficult." 

"  But  it  is  written,  is  it  not  ?"  asked  Dennis,  with  a 
smile. 

Christine  looked  at  him  in  silent  wonder.  What  would 
he  not  do  next  ?  But  she  was  sorry  that  he  had  spoken, 
for  she  foresaw  only  mortification  for  him. 

"  Oh,  give  him  the  music  by  all  means,"  said  Miss 
Brown,  expecting  to  enjoy  his  blundering  attempts  to  sing 
what  was  far  beyond  him.  "There,  I  will  play  the  ac 
companiment.  It's  not  the  tune  of  Old  Hundred  that  you 
are  to  sing  now,  young  man,  remember." 

Dennis  glanced  over  the  music,  and  she  began  to  play  a 
loud,  difficult  piece. 

He  turned  to  Miss  Ludolph,  and  said  :  "  I  fear  you  have 
given  me  the  wrong  music.  Miss  Brown  is  playing  some 
thing  not  written  here." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  151 

They  exchanged  significant  glances,  and  Miss  "Winthrop 
said,  "  Play  the  right  music,  Miss  Brown." 

She  struck  into  the  music  that  Dennis  held,  but  played  it 
so  out  of  time  that  no  one  could  sing  it.  Dennis  laid  down 
his  sheets  on  the  piano  and  said  quietly,  though  with 
flushed  face:  "I  did  not  mean  to  be  obtrusive.  You  all 
seemed  greatly  disappointed  at  Mr.  Archer's  absence  and 
the  results,  and  I  thought  that  in  view  of  the  emergency  it 
would  not  be  presumption  to  offer  my  services.  But  it 
seems  that  I  am  mistaken." 

"  No,  it  is  not  presumption,"  said  Miss  Winthrop.  "  It 
was  true  kindness  and  courtesy,  which  has  been  ill  re 
quited.  But  you  see,  to  be  frank,  Mr.  Fleet,  we  all  fear 
that  you  do  not  realize  what  you  are  undertaking." 

"  Must  I  of  necessity  be  an  ignoramus  because,  as  Miss 
Brown  says,  I  sweep  a  store  ?" 

"  Let  me  play  the  accompaniment,"  said  Christine,  with 
the  decided  manner  that  few  resisted,  and  she  went  cor 
rectly  through  the  difficult  and  brilliant  passage.  Dennis 
followed  his  part  with 'both  eye  and  ear,  and  then  said, 
"  Perhaps  I  had  better  sing  my  part  alone  first,  and  then 
you  can  correct  any  mistakes." 

There  was  a  flutter  of  expectation,  a  wink  from  Mr. 
Mellen,  and  an  audible  titter  from  Miss  Brown. 

"  Certainly,"  said  Miss  Ludolph,  who  thought  to  herself, 
"  If  he  will  make  a  fool  of  himself,  he  may  ;"  and  she 
played  the  brief  prelude. 

Then  prompt  at  the  proper  moment,  true  to  time  and 
note,  Dennis's  rich,  powerful  tenor  voice  startled  and  then 
entranced  them  all.  He  sung  the  entire  passage  through 
with  only  such  mistakes  as  resulted  from  his  nervousness 
and  embarrassment. 

At  the  close,  all  exclaimed  in  admiration  save  Miss 
Brown,  who  bit  her  lip  in  ill-concealed  vexation,  and  said, 
with  a  half-sneer,  "  Really,  Mr.  What-is-your-name,  you 
are  almost  equal  to  Blind  Tom." 


152  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT, 

"You  do  Blind  Tom  gieat  injustice,"  said  Dennis. 
"  I  read  my  music." 

"  But  how  did  you  learn  to  read  music  in  that  style  ?" 
asked  Christine. 

"  Of  course  it  took  me  years  to  do  so.  But  no  one  could 
join  our  musical  club  at  college  who  could  not  read  any 
thing  placed  before  him." 

"  It  must  have  been  small  and  select,  then." 

"  It  was." 

"How  often  had  you  sung  that  piece  before  ?"  asked 
Miss  Brown. 

"  I  never  saw  it  before,"  answered  Dennis. 

"  Why,  it  is  just  out,"  said  Christine. 

"Well,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  our  troubles  are  over  at 
last,"  said  Miss  Winthrop.  "  Mr.  Fleet  seems  a  good 
genius, — equal  to  any  emergency.  If  he  can  sing  that 
difficult  passage,  he  can  sing  anything  else  we  have.  We 
had  better  run  over  our  parts,  and  then  to  our  toilets. " 

One  of  the  colorless  young  ladies  played  the  accompani 
ments,  her  music  making  a  sort  of  neutral  tint,  against 
which  their  rich  and  varied  voices  came  out  with  better 
effect.  They  sung  rapidly  through  the  programme,  Den 
nis  sustaining  his  parts  correctly  and  with  taste.  He 
could  read  like  the  page  of  an  open  book  any  music  placed 
before  him,  and  years  of  practice  enabled  him  to  sing  true 
and  with  confidence.  As  he  sung  one  thing  after  another 
with  perfect  ease,  their  wonder  grew  ;  and  when,  in  the 
final  duet  with  Christine,  they  both  came  out  strongly, 
their  splendid,  thoroughly -trained  voices  blending  in  per 
fect  harmony,  they  were  rewarded  with  a  spontaneous 
burst  of  applause,  in  which  even  Miss  Brown  was  com 
pelled  to  join. 

Christine  said  nothing,  but  gave  Dennis  a  quick,  grateful 
glance,  which  amply  repaid  him  for  the  martyrdom  she 
had  led  him  into  that  afternoon. 

He  acknowledged  the  plaudits  of  the  others  with  a  slight, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  153 

cool  bow,  but  her  thanks  with  a  warm  flush  of  pleasure, 
and  then  turned  to  complete  his  arrangements  as  if  nothing 
had  happened.  There  was  not  the  slightest  show  of  exul 
tation,  or  of  a  purpose  to  demand  equality,  in  view  of  what 
had  taken  place.  His  old  manner  returned,  and  he  acted 
as  if  they  were  all  strangers  to  him.  They  exchanged  sig 
nificant,  wondering  glances,  and  after  a  brief  consultation 
retired  to  the  dining-room,  where  coffee  and  sandwiches 
were  waiting.  Miss  Winthrop  and  Christine  sincerely 
hoped  that  Miss  Brown  would  invite  Dennis  out,  but  she 
did  not,  and  since  it  was  her  house,  as  she  had  said,  they 
could  not  interfere.  Dennis  heard  the  clatter  of  knives 
and  forks,  and  saw  that  he  was  again  slighted  ;  but  he  did 
not  care  now.  Indeed,  in  the  light  of  the  sacred  emblem 
before  which  he  had  stood,  he  had  learned  patience.  He 
remembered  how  the  rich  and  great  of  the  world  had 
tre&te'd""lns  Master.  Then  too  Christine's  kind,  grateful 
glancg  seemed  to  f  all  upon  him  like  a  warm  ray  of  sunlight. 

When  they  had  finished  and  were  about  to  dress  for  their 
parts,  Miss  Brown  put  her  head  within  the  door  and  said, 
"  You  will  find  some  lunch  in  the  dining-room." 

Dennis  paid  no  heed  to  her,  but  he  heard  Miss  Winthrop 
say  :  "  Really,  Miss  Brown,  that  is  too  bad  after  what  he 
has  done  and  shown  himself  to  be.  I  wonder  that  he  does 
not  leave  the  house." 

"  He  will  not  do  that  until  Ve  is  no  longer  needed,"  said 
Christine. 

"  Then  he  may  as  soon  as  he  chooses,"  said  Miss  Brown. 
She  was  a  girl  of  violent  prejudices,  and  from  her  very 
nature  would. instinctively  dislike  such  a  person  as  Dennis 
Fleet. 

"  Well,"  said  Miss  Winthrop,  "  he  is  a  gentleman,  and  lie 
gave  the  strongest  proof  of  it  when  he  quietly  and  mod 
estly  withdrew  after  achieving  a  success  that  would  have 
turned  any  one's  head,  and  that  ought  to  have  secured  him 
full  recognition." 


154  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  I  told  you  he  was  a  gentleman,"  said  Christine,  briefly, 
"  and  I  consider  myself  a  judge  ;"  and  then  their  voices 
passed  out  of  hearing. 

Dennis,  having  arranged  everything  so  that  he  could 
place  his  hands  readily  upon  it,  found  that  he  had  half  an 
hour  to  spare.  He  said  to  himself  :  "  Miss  Ludolph  is 
wrong.  I  shall  leave  the  house  for  a  short  lime.  I  am  a 
most  unromantic  individual ;  for,  no  matter  what  or  how 
I  feel,  I  do  get  hungry.  But  I  am  sure  Miss  Brown's  coffee 
and  sandwiches  would  choke  me.  I  have  already  swal 
lowed  too  much  from  her  to  care  for  any  more,  so  here's 
for  a  restaurant." 

Miss  Winthrop  hastened  through  her  toilet  in  order  that 
she  might  come  down  and  speak  to  Dennis  while  he  was 
alone.  She  wished  to  thank  him  for  his  course  and  his 
vindication  of  the  truth,  and  to  assure  him  that  she  both 
respected  him  and  would  treat  him  as  a  true  gentleman. 
She  went  into  the  back  parlor,  but  he  was  not  there  ;  then 
she  passed  to  the  dining-room,  but  found  only  servants 
clearing  away  and  preparing  for  the  grand  supper  of  the 
evening. 

In  quick  alarm  she  asked,  "  Where  is  Mr.  Fleet  ?" 

"Is  it  the  man  in  the  back  parlor,  mum  ?  He's  just 
aftergoin'  out." 

"  O  girls  !"  exclaimed  Miss  Winthrop,  rushing  upstairs, 
"'  Mr.  Fleet  has  gone." 

And  there  was  general  consternation. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  REVELATION. 

THE  toilets  of  the  young  ladies  were  nearly  completed, 
but,  without  waiting  to  add  another  touch,  all  hastened  to 
the  place  where  they  had  left  Dennis.  One  of  the  colorless 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  155 

young  ladies  appeared  upon  the  scene  with  a  shawl  around 
her  bare  shoulders,  and  a  great  deal  of  color  on  one  cheek, 
and  none  on  the  other  as  yet  ;  but  this  slight  discrepancy 
was  unnoted  in  the  dire  calamity  they  feared. 

Many  were  the  exclamations  and  lamentations. 

"  Why,  the  people  will  be  here  in  fifteen  minutes,"  said 
Miss  Winthrop,  in  a  nervous  tremor. 

"  Did  he  leave  no  word  ?"  asked  Miss  Brown  of  the  ser 
vants. 

"  No  word,  mum,"  was  the  dismal  echo. 

"  What  shall  we  do  ?"  they  said,  looking  at  one  another 
with  blank  faces  ;  but  none  could  answer. 

"  I  do  hate  such  proud,  freakish  people.  There  is  no 
managing  or  depending  on  them,"  said  Miss  Brown,  spite 
fully. 

Miss  Winthrop  bit  her  lips  to  keep  from  saying  to  her 
hostess  what  would  be  more  true  than  polite.  There  was 
a  flash  of  anger  in  Christine's  dark  blue  eyes,  and  she  said, 
coldly  :  "  I  imagine  that  you  have  finished  the  business 
this  time,  Miss  Brown.  But  I  confess  that  I  am  greatly 
surprised,  for  he  said  I  could  depend  upon  him  for  to 
night." 

"  So  you  can,"  said  Dennis,  coming  in  behind  them. 
"  I  am  sorry  you  have  had  this  needless  alarm.  But  the 
fact  is,  I  am  a  plain,  ordinary  mortal,  and  live  in  a  very 
material  way." 

"  There  was  plenty  of  lunch  in  the  dining-room,"  said 
Miss  Brown,  tartly.  "  You  need  not  have  gone  out  and 
made  all  this  trouble." 

"  Pardon  me  for  slighting  your  hospitality,"  said  Den 
nis,  with  slight  emphasis  on  the  word. 

Again  significant  glances  were  exchanged.  Miss  Brown 
darted  a  black  look  at  Dennis,  and  left  the  room. 

"  I  can  assure  you,  ladies,"  added  he,  "  that  all  is  ready. 
I  can  lay  my  hand  in  a  moment  on  whatever  is  needed. 
Therefore  you  need  give  yoursel7cs_rio  further  anxiety." 


156  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

There  was  a  general  stampede  for  the  dressing-rooms, 
but  Miss  Winthrop  lingered.  When  Dennis  was  alone  she 
went  up  to  him  and  frankly  gave  her  hand,  saying  :  "  Mr. 
Fleet,  I  wish  to  thank  you  for  your  course  to-day.  Be 
tween  Miss  Ludolph's  unwitting  sermon  and  your  brave 
and  unexpected  vindication  of  our  faith,  I  hope  to  become 
more  deserving  of  the  name  of  Christian  You  are  a 
gentleman,  sir,  in  the  truest  and  best  sense  of  the  word, 
and  as  such  it  will  ever  be  a  pleasure  to  welcome  you  at 
my  father's  house  ;"  and  she  gave  him  her  card. 

A  flush  of  grateful  surprise  and  pleasure  mantled  Den 
nis's  face,  but  before  he  could  speak  she  was  gone. 

The  audience  were  soon  thronging  in.  By  half-past 
eight  the  performers  were  all  in  the  back  parlor,  and  there 
was  a  brilliant  army  of  actors  and  actresses  in  varied  and 
fanciful  costume,  many  coming  to  the  house  dressed  for 
their  parts.  There  were  gods  and  goddesses,  shepherds 
and  shepherdesses,  angels,  crusaders,  who  would  take  leave 
of  languishing  ladies,  living  statuary,  and  tableaux  of  ali 
sorts.  Dennis  was  much  shocked  at  the  manner  in  which 
ladies  exposed  themselves  in  the  name  of  art  and  for  the 
•sake  of  effect.  Christine  seemed  perfectly  Greek  and 
pagan  in  this  respect,  yet  there  was  that  in  her  manner  that 
forbade  a  wanton  glance.  But,  as  he  observed  the  carriage 
of  the  men  around  him,  he  was  more  than  satisfied  that  no 
plea  of  art  could  justify  the  "style,"  and  felt  assured  that 
every  pure-minded  woman  would  take  the  same  view  if  she 
realized  the  truth.  Under  the  names  of  fashion  and  art 
much  is  done  in  society  that  would  be  simply  monstrous 
on  ordinary  occasions. 

The  music,  as  far  as  possible,  was  in  character  with  the 
scenes.  The  entertainment  went  forward  with  great  ap 
plause.  Every  one  was  radiant ;  and  the  subtile,  exhila 
rating  spirit  of  assured  success  glowed  in  every  eye,  and 
gave  a  richer  tone  and  coloring  to  everything. 

Christine  appeared  in  several  and  varied  characters,  and 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  157 

Dennis  had  eyes  only  for  her.  The  others  he  glanced  over 
critically  as  the  artist  in  charge,  and  then  dismissed  them 
from  his  thoughts  ;  but  on  Christine  his  eyes  rested  in  a 
spellbound  admiration  that  both  amused  and  pleased  her. 
She  loved  power  of  every  kind,  and  when  she  read  ap 
proval  in  the  trained  and  critical  eye  of  Dennis  Fleet  she 
knew  that  all  the  audience  were  applauding. 

But  Dennis  had  little  time  for  musing,  so  great  was  the 
strain  upon  him  to  prevent  confusion.  His  voice  excited 
great  surprise  and  applause,  many  inquiring  vainly  who 
he  was.  When  he  and  Christine  sung  together  the  audi 
ence  were  perfectly  carried  away,  and  stormed  and  ap 
plauded  without  stint.  Indeed,  it  seemed  that  they  could 
not  be  satisfied.  The  call  was  so  urgent  that  several  asked 
Christine  to  sing  again,  and  she  did  so  alone.  For  ten 
minutes  she  held  the  audience  perfectly  entranced,  and  no 
one  more  so  than  Dennis.  Usually  she  was  too  cold  in  all 
that  she  did,  but  now  in  her  excitement  she  far  surpassed 
herself,  and  he  acknowledged  that  he  had  never  heard  such 
music  before. 

The  very  soul  of  song  seemed  breathed  into  her,  and 
every  nook  and  corner  of  the  house  appeared  to  vibrate 
with  melody.  Even  the  servants  in  distant  rooms  said  that 
it  seemed  thai  an  angel  was  singing.  After  she  ceased,  the 
audience  sat  spellbound  for  a  moment,  and  then  followed 
prolonged  thunders  of  applause,  the  portly  brewer,  Mr, 
Brown  hJmself^Leading  off  again  and  again. 

^Now  let  the  te^F's1'n'g'"aT6ne,'Tlie  said,  for,  though  a 
coarse  man,  he  was  hearty  and  good-natured. 

The  audience  emphatically  echoed  his  wish,  but  Dennis 
as  decidedly  shook  his  head. 

Then  came  a  cry,  "  Miss  Ludolph  and  the  tenor  again  ;" 
and  the  audience  took  it  up  with  a  clamor  that  would  not 
be  denied. 

Christine  looked  inquiringly  at  Dennis,  and  he  replied  in 
a  low  tone,  "  You  command  me  this  evening." 


158  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Again  she  thanked  him  -with  her  eyes,  and  from  a  music 
stand  near  chose  a  magnificent  duet  from  Mendelssohn,  in 
which  he  must  sing  several  difficult  solos. 

"  Act  your  pleasure.  I  am  familiar  with  it,"  he  said, 
smiling  at  the  way  she  had  circumvented  him  in  his  re 
fusal  to  sing  alone. 

Christine  sat  down  and  played  her  own  accompaniment, 
while  Dennis  stood  at  her  side.  He  determined  to  do  his 
best  and  prove  that  though  he  swept  a  store  he  could  also 
_^o  something  else.  Many  of  the  strains  were  plaintive,  and 
/  his  deep  and  unconscious  feeling  for  his  fair  companion  in 
song  gave  to  his  voice  a  depth,  and  at  times  a  pathos,  that' 
both  thrilled  and  touched  the  heart,  and  there  were  not  a 
few  wet  eyes  in  the  audience.  Unconsciously  to  himself 
and  all  around,  he  was  singing  his  love  ;  and  even  Chris 
tine,  though  much  preoccupied  with  her  part,  wondered 
at  the  effect  upon  herself,  and  recognized  the  deep  impres 
sion  made  upon  the  audience. 

As  the  last  notes  died  away  the  sliding-doors  were 
closed. 

Dennis  had  achieved  a  greater  success  than,  Christine, 
because,  singing  from  the  heart,  he  had  touched  the  heart. 
His  applause  could  be  read  in  moist  eyes  and  expressive 
faces  rather  than  in  noisy  hands.  She  saw  and  understood 
the  result.  A  sad,  disappointed  look  came  into  her  face, 
and  she  said  in  a  low,  plaintive  tone,  as  if  it  were  wrung 
from  her  :  "  There  must  be  something  wrong  about  me.  I 
fear  I  shall  never  reach  true  art.  I  can  only  win  jidmira- 
tion,  never  touch  the  heart." 

Dennis  wus  about  to  speak  eagerly,  when  they  were 
overwhelmed  by  the  rush  and  confusion  attendant  on  the 
breaking  up  of  the  entertainment.  Part  of  the  older  guests 
at  once  left  for  their  homes,  and  the  rest  stayed  for  supper. 
The  parlors  were  to  be  cleared  as  soon  as  possible  for 
dancing.  Christine  was  joined  by  her  father,  who  had  sat 
in  the  audience,  scarcely  believing  his  eyes,  much  less  his 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  159 

ears.  Was  that  the  young  man  who  was  blacking  old 
Schwartz's  boots  the  other  day  ? 

His  daughter  was  overwhelmed  with  compliments,  but 
she  took  them  very  coolly  and  quietly,  for  her  heart  was 
full  of  bitterness.  That  which  her  ambitious  spirit  most 
desired  she  could  not  reach,  and  to  the  degree  that  she 
loved  art  was  her  disappointment  keen.  She  almost  envied 
poor  Dennis,  but  she  knew  not  the  secret  of  his  success  ; 
iior  did  he,  either,  in  truth.  His  old  manner  returned,  and 
he  busied  himself  in  rapidly  packing  up  everything  that 
he  had  brought.  Mr.  Ludolph,  who  had  received  a  brief 
explanation  from  Christine,  came  and  said,  kindly,  "Why, 
Fleet,  you  have  blossomed  out  strongly  to-day." 

"  Indeed,  sir,  I  think  I  have  never  had  a  more  rigorous 
pruning,"  was  the  reply. 

When  the  story  had  been  told  Mr.  Ludolph  in  full,  he 
understood  the  remark.  Christine  was  waiting  for  the 
crowd  to  disperse  somewhat,  in  order  to  speak  to  Dennis 
also,  for  her  sense  of  justice  and  her  genuine  admiration 
impelled  her  to  warm  and  sincere  acknowledgment.  But 
at  that  moment  Mr.  Mellen  came  in,  exclaiming,  "  Miss 
Ludolph,  they  are  all  waiting  for  you  to  lead  the  dance, 
for  to  you  is  given  this  honor  by  acclamation,  and  I  plead 
your  promise  to  be  my  partner  ;  and  he  carried  her  off, 
she  meaning  to  return  as  soon  as  possible,  and  supposing 
Dennis  would  remain. 

A  moment  after,  light,  airy  music  was  heard  in  the  front 
parlor,  followed  by  the  rhythmical  cadence  of  light  feet 
and  the  rustle  of  silks  like  a  breeze  through  a  forest. 

For  some  reason  as  she  went  away  Dennis's  heart  sunk 
within  him.  Reaction  followed  the  strong  excitements  of 
the  day,  and  a  strange  sense  of  weariness  and  despondency 
crept  over  him.  The  gay  music  in  the  other  room  seemed 
plaintive  and  far  away,  and  the  tripping  feet  sounded  like 
the  patter  of  rain  on  autumn  leaves.  The  very  lights  ap 
peared  to  burn  dimmer,  and  the  color  to  fade  out  of  his  life. 


160  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAT. 

Mechanically  he  packed  up  the  few  remaining  articles,  to 
be  called  for  in  the  morning,  and  then  leaned  heavily 
against  a  pillar,  intending  to  rest  a  moment  before  going 
out  into  the  night  alone. 

Some  one  pushed  back  the  sliding-door  a  little  and  passed 
into  the  room.  Through  the  opening  he  caught  a  glimpse 
of  the  gay  scene  within.  Suddenly  Christine  appeared 
floating  lightly  through  the  waltz  in  her  gauzy  drapery,  as 
if  in  a  white,  misty  cloud.  Through  the  narrow  opening 
she  seemed  a  radiant,  living  portrait.  But  her  partner 
whirled  her  out  of  the  line  of  vision.  Thus  in  the  mazes 
of  the  dance  she  kept  appearing  and  disappearing,  flashing 
in  sight  one  moment,  leaving  a  blank  in  the  crowded  room 
the  next. 

"  So  it  will  ever  be,  I  suppose,"  he  said  to  himself,  bit 
terly  ;  "  chance  and  stolen  glimpses  my  only  privilege.'* 

Again  she  appeared,  smiling  archly  on  the  man  whose 
arm  clasped  her  waist. 

A  frown  black  as  night  gathered  on  Dennis's  brow  ;  then 
a  sudden  pallor  overspread  his  face  to  his  very  lips.  The 
revelation  had  come  I  Then  for  the  first  time  he  knew — 
knew  it  as  if  written  in  letters  of  fire  before  him— that  he 
loved  Christine  Ludolph. 

At  first  the  knowledge  stunned  and  bewildered  him,  and 
his  mind  was  a  confused  blur  ;  then  as  she  appeared  again, 
smiling  upon  and  in  the  embrace  of  another  man,  a  sharp 
sword  seemed  to  pierce  his  heart. 

Dennis  was  no  faint  shadow  of  a  man  who  had  frittered 
away  in  numberless  flirtations  what  little  heart  he  origi 
nally  had.  He  belonged  to  the  male  species,  with  some 
thing  of  the  pristine  vigor  of  the  first  man,  who  said  of  the 
one  woman  of  all  the  world,  "  This  is  now  bone  of  my 
bones,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh  ;"  and  one  whom  he  had  first 
Tseen  but  a  few  short  months  since  now  seemed  to  belong 
to  him  by  the  highest  and  divinest  right.  But  could  he 
ever  claim  his  own  ? 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  161 

In  his  morbid,  wearied  state,  there  seemed  a  "  great  gulf 
fixed"  between  them.  For  a  moment  he  fairly  felt  faint 
and  sick,  as  if  he  had  received  a  wound.  He  was  startled 
byliearing  Miss  Winthrop  sayjat  his  side  :  "  Mr.  Fleet,  you 
will  not  leave  yet.  1  have  many  friends  wishing  an  intro 
duction  to  you.  What  is  the  matter  ?  You  look  as  if  you 
were  ill." 

At  her  voice  he  flushed  painfully.  He  was  so  vividly 
conscious  of  his  love  himself  that  he  felt  that  every  one 
else  must  be  able  to  see  it,  and  darkness  and  solitude  now 
seemed  a  refuge.  Recovering  himself  by  a  great  effort  he 
said,  "  Pardon  me,  I  do — I  am  not  well— nothing  is  the 
matter— a  little  rest  and  I  shall  be  myself  again." 

"  No  wonder.  You  have  been  taxed  every  way  beyond 
mortal  endurance,  and  I  think  that  it  is  a  shame  the  way 
you  have  been  treated.  Pray  do  not  judge  Chicago  society 
altogether  by  what  you  have  seen  here.  Let  me  get  you 
some  refreshment,  and  then  I  will  acquaint  you  with  some 
people  who  can  recognize  a  gentleman  when  they  meet 
him." 

"No,  Miss  Winthrop,"  said  Dennis,  courteously  but 
firmly  ;  "  you  are  not  in  your  own  home,  and  by  staying 
I  should  not  be  accepting  your  hospitality.  I  appreciate 
your  kindness  deeply,  and  thank  your  friends  who  have 
expressed  a  willingness  to  make  my  acquaintance.  It 
would  not  be  right  to  stay  longer  in  this  house  than  is 
necessary.  I  do  not  feel  resentful.  I  have  no  room  in  my 
memory  for  Miss  Brown  and  her  actions,  but  at  the  same 
time  self-respect  requires  that  I  go  at  once  ;"  and  he  took 
his  hat. 

"  I  am  not  surprised  that  you  feel  as  you  do.  But  give 
me  the  pleasure  of  welcoming  you  at  my  own  home  as 
soon  as  possible,"  she  said,  and  gave  her  hand  to  him  in 
parting. 

Dennis  took  it  respectfully  and  bowed  low,  saying,  "  I 


103  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

shall  not  willingly  deny  myself  so  great  a  pleasure,"  and 
was  gone. 

Christine  came  in  a  few  moments  later,  and  found  only 
servants  clearing  the  room  for  dancing. 

"  Where  is  Mr.  Fleet  ?"  she  asked. 

"Gone,  mam." 

"  Yes,"  said  Miss  Winthrop,  coming  in  at  the  same  time  ; 

"  he  has  gone  now  in  very  truth  ;  and  I  don't  think  the 

power  exists  that  could  lead  him  to  darken  these  doors 

,  |  again.     I  doubt  if  I  ever  come  myself.     I  never  saw  a 

J    :  clearer  instance  of —of — well— shoddy" 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  you  Christians  are  as  proud  as  any 
of  us." 

"  Isn't  there  a  difference  between  pride  and  self-respect  ? 
I  am  satisfied  that  if  Miss  Brown  were  in  trouble,  or  poor, 
Mr.  Fleet  would  be  the  first  to  help  her.  O  Christine,  we 
have  treated  him  shamefully  !" 

"  You  seem  to  take  a  wonderful  interest  in  this  unknown 
knight  in  rusty  armor."  (Dennis's  dress  was  decidedly 
threadbare.) 

"I  do,"  said  the  impulsive  girl,  frankly,  "because  he  is 
wonderfully  interesting.  What  man  of  all  the  large  audi 
ence  present  to-night  could  have  acted  the  part  he  did  ? 
I  am  satisfied  that  that  man  is  by  birth  and  education  a 
gentleman.  Are  you  ready,  with  your  aristocratic  notions, 
to  recognize  chiefly  Miss  Brown's  title  to  position  ?  What 
could  her  coat-of-arms  be  but  the  dollar  symbol  and  the 
beer-barrel  ?" 

"  Come,  remember  she  is  our  hostess." 

"  You  are  right  ;  I  should  not  speak  so  here  ;  but  my 
indignation  gets  the  better  of  me." 

"  Would  you  invite  him  to  your  house  ?" 

"  Certainly.  I  have  asked  him  ;  and  what  is  more,  he 
has  promised  to  come.  Supposing  that  he  is  poor,  are  not 
many  of  your  noblemen  as  poor  as  poverty  V  My  parlors 
shall  be  haunted  only  by  men  of  ability  and  character." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  103 

"  You  are  not  going  to  shut  out  this  little  heathen,"  said 
Christine,  putting  her  arm  about  her  friend. 

"  Never  !"  said  Miss  Winthrop,  returning  the  embrace 
with  double  warmth.  Then  she  added,  sadly  :  "  You  arev 
not  an  unbeliever  from  conviction  and  knowledge,  Chris 
tine,  but  from  training  and  association.  While  I  admire 
and  honor  your  father  as  a  splendid  and  gifted  man,  I  re 
gret  his  and  your  scepticism  more  deeply  than  you  can 
ever  know." 

"  Well,  Susie,"  said  Christine  with  a  smile,  "  if  they  shut 
out  such  as  you  from  your  Paradise,  I  do  not  wish  to  go 
there." 

"  If,  with  my  clear  knowledge  of  the  conditions  of  en 
trance,  I  shut  myself  out,  I  shall  have  no  right  to  com 
plain,"  said  Miss  Winthrop,  sadly. 

But  the  absence  of  two  such  belles  could  not  long  remain 
unnoted  ;  and,  having  been  discovered,  they  were  pounced 
upon  by  half  a  dozen  young  gentlemen,  clamorous  for  the 
honor  of  their  hands  in  the  "  German." 

In  spite  of  herself,  Christine  was  vexed  and  annoyed. 
Dennis  had  seemed,  in  his  obscurity,  a  nice  little  bit  of 
personal  property,  that  she  could  use  and  order  about  as 
she  pleased.  He  had  been  so  subservient  and  eager  to  do 
her  will,  that  she  had  never  thought  of  him  otherwise  than 
as  her  "humble  servant."  But  now  her  own  hand  had 
suddenly  given  him  the  role  of  a  fine  gentleman.  Chris 
tine  was  too  logical  to  think  of  continuing  to  order  about  a 
man  who  could  sing  Mendelssohn's  music  as  Dennis  had 
done. 

She  congratulated  herself  that  the  arrangement  of  the 
store  was  nearly  completed,  and  that  only  one  show-room 
was  unfinished. 

"I  suppose  he  will  be  very  dignified  when  we  meet 
again,"  she  thought  to  herself.  "  I  should  not  be  at  all 
surprised  if  my  impulsive  little  friend  Susie  loses  her  heart 
to  him.  Well,  I  suppose  she  can  to  any  one  she  chooses 


, 


164  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY* 

As  for  me,  rich  or  poor,  stupid  or  gifted,  the  men  of  this 
land  are  all  alike  ;"  and  with  a  half-sigh  she  plunged  reso 
lutely  into  the  gayeties  of  the  evening,  as  if  to  escape  from 
herself. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

NIGHT   THOUGHTS. 

eENNis  passed  out  of  the  heavy,  massive  entrance  to  the 
Ithy  brewer's  mansion  with  a  sense  of  relief  as  if  escap- 
from  prison.  The  duskiness  and  solitude  of  the  street 
led  a  grateful  refuge,  and  the  night  wind  was  to  his 
flushed  face  like  a  cool  hand  laid  on  a  feverish  brow.  He 
was  indeed  glad  to  be  alone,  for  his  w^as  one  of  those  deep, 
earnest  natures  that  cannot  rush  to  the  world  in  garrulous 
confidence  when  disturbed  and  perplexed.  There  are  many 
sincere  but  shallow  people  who  must  tell  of  and  talk  away 
every  passing  emotion.  ,  Not  of  the  abundance  of  their 
hearts,  for  abundance  there  is  not,  but  of  the  uppermost 
thing  in  their  hearts  their  mouths  must  speak,  even  though 
the  subjects  be  of  the  delicate  nature  that  would  naturally 
be  hidden.  Such  mental  constitutions  are  at  least  health 
ful.  Concealed  trouble  never  preys  upon  them  like  the 
canker  in  the  bud.  Everything  comes  to  the  surface  and 
is  thrown  off. 

But  at  first  Dennis  scarcely  dared  to  recognize  the  truth 
himself,  and  the  thought  of  telling  even  his  mother  was 
repugnant.  For  half  an  hour  he  walked  the  streets  in  a 
sort  of  stupor.  He  was  conscious  only  of  a  heavy,  aching 
heart  and  a  wearied,  confused  brain.  All  the  time,  how 
ever,  he  knew  an  event  had  occurred  that  must  for  good 
or  evil  affect  his  entire  existence  ;  but  he  shrunk  with  ner 
vous  dread  from  grappling  with  the  problem.  As  the  cold 
air  refreshed  and  revived  him,  his  strong,  practical  mind 


BARRIERS  B  URNED  A  WA  Y.  165 

*» 

took  up  the  question  almost  without  volition,  and  by  reason 
of  his  morbid,  wearied  state,  only  the  dark  and  discourag 
ing  side  was  presented.  The  awakening  to  his  love  was  a 
very  different  thing  to  Dennis,  and  to  the  majority  in  this 
troubled  world,  from  the  blissful  consciousness  of  Adam 
when  for  the  first  time  he  saw  the  fair  being  whom  he 
might  woo  at  his  leisure,  amid  embowering  roses,  without 
fear  or  thought  of  a  rival. 

To  Dennis  the  fact  of  his  love,  so  far  from  promising  to 
be  the  source  of  delightful  romance  and  enchantment, 
clearly  showed  itself  to  be  the  hardest  and  most  practical 
question  of  a  life  full  of  such  questions. 

In  his  strong  and  growing  excitement  he  spoke  to  him 
self  as  to  a  second  person  :  "  Oh,  I  see  it  all  now  !  Poor, 
blind  fool  that  I  was,  to  think  that  by  coveting  and  secur 
ing  every  possible  moment  in  her  presence  I  was  only 
learning  to  love  art  !  As  I  saw  her  to-night,  so  radiant 
and  beautiful,  and  yet  in  the  embrace  of  another  man,  and 
that  man  evidently  an  ardent  admirer,  what  was  art  to  me  ? 
As  wTell  might  a  starving  man  seek  to  satisfy  himself  by 
wandering  through  an  old  Greek  temple  as  for  me  to  turn 
to  art  alone.  One  crumb  of  warm,  manifested  love  fromj 
her  would  be  worth  more  than  all  the  cold,  abstract  beauty 
in  the  universe.  And  yet  what  chance  have  I  ?  What  can! 
I  hope  for  more  than  a  passing  thought  and  a  little  kindly, 
condescending  interest?  Clerk  and  man-of-all-work  in  a 
store,  poor  and  heavily  burdened,  the  idea  of  my  loving 
one  of  the  most  wealthy,  admired,  and  aristocratic  ladies 
in  Chicago  !  It  is  all  very  well  in  story-books  for  peasants 
to  fall  in  love  with  princesses,  but  in  practical  Chicago  the 
fact  of  my  attachment  to  Miss  Ludolph  would  be  regarded 
as  one  of  the  richest  jokes  of  the  season,  and  by  Mr.  • 
Ludolph  as  such  a  proof  of  rusticity  and  folly  as  would  at' 
once  secure  my  return  to  pastoral  life." 

Then  hope  whispered,  "But  you  can  achieve  position 


166  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

and  wealth  as  others  have  done,  and  then  can  speak  your 
mind  from  the  standpoint  of  equality." 

But  Dennis  was  in  a  mood  to  see  only  the  hopeless  side 
that  night,  and  exclaimed  almost  aloud  :  "  Nonsense  !  Can 
it  be  even  imagined  that  she,  besieged  by  the  most  gifted 
and  rich  of  the  city,  will  wait  for  a  poor  unknown  ad 
mirer  ?  Mr.  Mellen,  I  understand,  approaches  her  from 
every  vantage  ground  save  that  of  a  noble  character  ;  but 
in  the  fashionable  world  how  little  thought  is  given  to  this 
drawback  !"  and  in  his  perturbation  he  strode  rapidly  and 
aimlessly  on,  finding  some  relief  in  mere  physical  activity. 

Suddenly  his  hasty  steps  ceased,  and  even  in  the  dusk  of 

the  street  his  face  gleamed  out  distinctly,  so  great  was  its 

\  pallor.     Like  a  ray  of  light,  a  passage  from  the  Word  of 

\  God  revealed  to  him  his  situation  in  a  new  aspect.     It 

seemed  to  him  almost  that  some  one  had  whispered  the 

words  in  his  ear,  so  distinctly  did  they  present  themselves, 

— "  Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  together  with  unbelievers." 

Slowly  and  painfully  he  said  to  himself,  as  if  recognizing 
the  most  hopeless  barrier  that  had  yet  been  dwelt  upon, 
"  Clnibtiue  Ludulph  is  an  inihiel.  ' 

Not  only  the  voice  of  reason,  and  of  the  practical  world, 
jb~iit  also  the  voice  of  God  seemed  to  forbid  his  love  ;  and 
[the  conviction  that  he  must  give  it  all  up  became  as  clear 
*as  it  was  painful.  The  poor  fellow  leaned  his  head  against 
the  shaggy  bark  of  an  elm  in  a  shadowy  square  which  the 
street-lamps  could  but  faintly  penetrate.  The  night  wind 
swayed  the  budding  branches  of  the  great  tree,  and  they 
sighed  over  him  as  if  in  sympathy. 

The  struggle  within  his  soul  was  indeed  bitter,  for, 
though  thus  far  he  had  spoken  hopelessly,  he  had  not  been 
altogether  hopeless  ;  but  now  that  conscience  raised  its  im 
passable  wall  high  as  heaven,  which  he  must  not  break 
through,  his  pain  was  BO  great  as  to  almost  unman  him, 
and  such  tears  as  only  men  can  weep  fell  from  his  eyes. 
In  anguish  he  exclaimed,  "  That  which  might  have  been 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  167 

the  chief  blessing  of  life  has  become  my  greatest  misfor 
tune." 

Above  him  the  gale  caused  two  fraying  limbs  to  appear 
to  moan  in  echo  of  the  suffering  beneath. 

"  This  then  must  be  the  end  of  my  prayers  in  her  behalf, 
— my  ardent  hope  and  purpose  to  lead  her  to  the  truth, — 
she  to  walk  through  honored,  sunny  paths  to  everlasting 
shame  and  night,  and  I  through  dark  and  painful  ways  to 
light  and  peace,  if  in  this  bitter  test  I  remain  faithful. 
Surely  there  is  much  to  try  one's  faith.  And  yet  it  must 
be  so  as  far  as  human  foresight  can  judge." 

Then  a  great  pity  for  her  swelled  his  heart,  for  he  felt 
that  her  case  was  the  saddest  after  all,  and  his  tears  flowed 
faster  than  ever. 

Human  voices  now  startled  him, — some  late  revellers 
passing  homeward.  The  tears  and  emotion,  of  which  we 
never  think  of  being  ashamed  when  alone  with  Nature  and 
its  Author,  he  dreaded  to  have  seen  by  his  fellows,  and 
hastily  wiping  his  eyes,  he  slung  into  the  deeper  shadow  of 
the  tree,  and  they  passed  on.  Then,  an  old  trait  asserting 
itself,  he  condemned  his  own  weakness.  Stepping  from 
the  sheltering  trunk  against  which  he  was  leaning,  he 
stood  strong  and  erect. 

The  winds  were  hushed  as  if  expectant  in  the  branches 
above. 

"Dennis  Fleet,"  he  said,  "you  must  put  your  foot  on 
this  folly  here  and  now." 

He  bared  his  head  and  looked  upward. 

"  O  God,"  he  said,  solemnly,  "  if  this  is  contrary  to  Thy 
w41L-=Thy.  wULbe-done. ' ' 

He  paused  a  moment  reverently,  and  then  turned  on  his 
heel  and  strode  resolutely  homeward. 

A  gust  of  wind  crashed  the  branches  overhead  together 
like  the  clash  of  cymbals  in  victory. 

The  early  spring  dawn  was  tingeing  the  eastern  horizon 


168  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

before  the  gay  revel  ceased  and  the  mansion  of  the  rich 
brewer  was  darkened.  All  the  long  night,  light,  airy 
music  had  caused  late  passers  by  to  pause  a  moment  to 
listen,  and  to  pity  or  envy  the  throng  within,  as  disposition 
dictated.  Mr.  Brown  was  a  man  who -prided  himself  on 
lavish  and  rather  coarse  hospitality.  A  table  groaning 
under  costly  dishes  and  every  variety  of  liquor  was  the 
crowning  feature,  the  blissful  climax  of  all  his  entertain 
ments  ;  and  society  from  its  highest  circles  furnished  an 
abundance  of  anxious  candidates  for  his  suppers,  who  ate 
and  criticised,  drank  to  and  disparaged,  their  plebeian  host. 

Mrs.  Brown  was  heavy  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  and 
with  her  huge  person  draped  with  acres  of  silk,  and  fes 
tooned  with  miles  of  point-lace,  she  waddled  about  and 
smiled  and  nodded  good-naturedly  at  everybody  and  every 
thing. 

It  was  just  the  place  for  a  fashionable  revel,  where  the 
gross,  repulsive  features  of  coarse  excess  are  veiled  and 
masked  somewhat  by  the  glamour  of  outward  courtesy  and 
good-breeding. 

At  first  Christine  entered  into  the  dance  with  great  zest 
and  a  decided  sense  of  relief.  She  was  disappointed  and 
out  of  sorts  with  herself.  Again  she  had  failed  in  the  ob 
ject  of  her  intense  ambition,  and  though  conscious  that, 
through  the  excitement  of  the  occasion,  she  had  sung  better 
than  ever  before,  yet  she  plainly  saw  in  the  different  re 
sults  of  her  singing  and  that  of  Dennis  Fleet  that  there  was 
a  depth  in  the  human  heart  which  she  could  not  reach. 
She  could  secure  only  admiration,  superficial  applause. 
I  The  sphere  of  the  true  artist  who  can  touch  and  sway  the 
popular  heart  seemed  beyond  her  ability.  By  voice  or 
^pencTTshe  had  never  yet  attained  it..  She  had  too  much 
mind  to  mistake  the  character  of  the  admiration  she  ex 
cited,  and  was  far  too  ambitious  to  be  satisfied  with  the 
mere  praise  bestowed  on  a  highly  accomplished  girl.  She 
aspired,  determined,  to  be  among  the  first,  and  to  be  a 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  169 

second-rate  imitator  in  the  world  of  art  was  to  her  the 
agony  of  a  disappointed  life.     And  yet  to  imitate  with 
accuracy   and  skill,   not  with  sympathy,   was  the  only 
power  she  had  as  yet  developed.     She  saw  the  limitations*, 
of  her  success  more  clearly  than  did  any  one  else,  and!  ^ 
chafed  bitterly  at  the  invisible  bounds  she  could  not  pass.f 

The  excitement  of  the  dance  enabled  her  to  banish* 
thoughts  that  were  both  painful  and  humiliating.  More 
over,  to  a  nature  so  active  and  full  of  physical  vigor,  the 
swift,  graceful  motion  was  a  source  of  keen  enjoyment. 

But  when  after  supper  many  of  the  ladies  were  silly, 
and  the  gentlemen  were  either  stupid  or  excited,  according 
to  the  action  of  the  "invisible  spirit  of  wine"  upon  their 
several  constitutions, — when  after  many  glasses  of  cham 
pagne  Mr.  Mellen  began  to  effervesce  in  frothy  sentimen 
tality  and  a  style  of  love-making  simply  nauseating  to  one 
of  Christine's  nature, — she  looked  around  for  her  father  in 
order  to  escape  from  the  scenes  that  were  becoming  revolt 
ing. 

Though  of  earth  only  in  all  the  sources  of  her  life  and 
hopes,  she  was  not  earthy.  If  her  spirit  could  not  soar  and 
sing  in  the  sky,  it  also  could  not  grovel  in  the  mire  of 
gross  materiality.  Some  little  time,  therefore,  before  the 
company  broke  up,  on  the  plea  of  not  feeling  well  she 
lured  her  father  away  from  his  wine  and  cigars  and  a  knot 
of  gentlemen  who  were  beginning  to  talk  a  little  inco 
herently.  Making  their  adieux  amid  many  protestations 
against  their  early  departure,  they  drove  homeward. 

"  How  did  you  enjoy  yourself  ?"  asked  her  father. 

"  Very  much  in  the  early  part  of  the  evening,  not  at  all 
in  the  latter  part.  To  sum  up,  I  am  disgusted  with  Mr. 
Mellen  and  these  Browns  in  general,  and  myself  in  par 
ticular." 

"  Wjiat  is  the  matter  with  Mr.  Mellen  ?  •  I  understand 
that  the  intriguing  mammas  consider  him  the  largest  game 
in  the  city." 


170  BARRIERS  BtfRNED  AWAY. 

"  When  hunting  degenerates  into  the  chase  and  capture 
of  insects,  you  may  style  him  game.  Between  his  cham 
pagne  and  silly  love-making,  he  was  as  bad  as  a  dose  of 
ipecac." 

Christine  spoke  freely  to  her  father  of  her  admirers, 
usually  making  them  the  themes  of  satire  and  jest. 

"  And  what  is  the  trouble  with  our  entertainers  ?" 

"  I  am  sorry  to  speak  so  of  any  one  whose  hospitality 
I  have  accepted,  but  unless  it  is  your  wish  I  hope  never  to 
accept  it  again.  They  all  smell  of  their  beer.  Everything 
is  so  coarse,  lavish,  and  ostentatious.  They  tell  you  as 
through  a  brazen  trumpet  on  every  side,  '  We  are  rich.'  " 

"  They  give  magnificent  suppers,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  in 
apology. 

"  More  correctly,  the  French  cook  they  employ  gives 
them.  I  do  not  object  to  the  nicest  of  suppers,  but  prefer 
that  the  Browns  be  not  on  the  carte  de  menu.  From  the 

i  moment  our  artistic  programme  ended,  and  the  entertain 
ment  fell  into  their  hands,  it  began  to  degenerate  into  an 
orgy.  Nothing  but  the  instinctive  restraints  of  good- 
breeding  prevents  such  occasions  from  ending  in  a  drunken 
revel." 

"  You  are  severe.  Mr.  Brown's  social  effort  is  not  a  bad 
type  of  the  entertainments  that  prevail  in  fashionable  life." 

"  Well,  it  may  be  true,  but  they  never  seemed  to  me  so 
lacking  in  good  taste  and  refinement  before.  Wait  till  we 
dispense  choice  viands  and  wines  to  choicer  spirits  in  our 
own  land,  and  I  will  guarantee  a  marvellously  wide  differ 
ence.  Then  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  mind,  shall  be  feasted,  as 
well  as  the  lower  sense." 

"  Well,  I  do  not  see  why  you  should  be  disgusted  with 
yourself.  I  am  sure  that  you  covered  yourself  with  glory, 
and  were  the  belle  of  the  occasion. ' ' 

11  That  is  no  great  honor,  considering  the  occasion. 
.Father,  strange  as  it  may  seem  to  you,  I  envied  your  man- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  171 

of-all-work  to-night.     Did  you  not  mark  the  effect  of  his 
singing  ?" 

"Yes,  and  felt  it  in  a  way  that  I  cannot  explain  tof 
myself.     His  tones  seemed  to  thrill  and  stir  my  very  heart. 
I  have  not  been  so  affected  by  music  for  years.     At  first 
I  thought  it  was  surprise  at  hearing  him  sing  at  all,  but  I 
soon  found  that  it  was  something  in  the  music  itself." 

"And  that  something  I  fear  lean  never  grasp,— never 
attain. ' ' 

"  Why,  my  dear,  they  applauded  you  to  the  echo." 

"  I  would  rather  see  one  moist  eye  as  the  tribute  to  my 
singing  than  to  be  deafened  by  noisy  applause.  I  fear  I 
shall  never  reach  high  art.  Men's  hearts  sleep  when  I  do 
my  best." 

"  I  think  you  are  slightly  mistaken  there,  judging  from 
your  train  of  admirers,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  turning  off  a. 
disagreeable  subject  with  a  jest.  The  shrewd  man  of  the 
world  guessed  the  secret  of  her  failure.  She  must  feel 
herself,  before  she  could  touch  feeling.  But  he  had  S}TS- 
temaEicaTTy "sought  to  chill  and  benumb  her  nature,  mean 
ing  it  to  awake  at  just  the  time,  and  under  just  the  cir 
cumstances,  that  should  accord  with  his  controlling  am 
bition. 

Then,  reverting  to  Dennis,  he  continued  :  "  It  won't  an 
swer  for  Fleet  to  sweep,  the  store  any  longer  after  the  part 
he  played  to-night.  Indeed,  I  doubt  if  he  would  be  willing 
to.  Not  only  he,  but  the  world  will  know  that  he  is  capa 
ble  of  better  things.  What  has  occurred  will  awaken  in 
quiry,  and  may  soon  secure  him  good  business  offers.  I  do 
not  intend  to  part  readily  with  so  capable  a  young  fellow. 
He  does  well  whatever  is  required,  and  therefore  I  shall 
promote  him  as  fast  as  is  prudent.  I  think  I  can  make 
him  of  great  use  to  me. " 

"That  is  another  thing  that  provokes  me,"  said  Chris 
tine.  "  Only  yesterday  morning  he  seemed  such  a  useful,, 
humble  creature,  and  last  evening  through  my*o\vn  folly 


172  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

he  developed  into  a  fine  gentleman  ;  and  I  shall  have  to 
say,  "  By  your  leave,  sir  ;'  '  Will  you  please  do  this  ?  '—if 
I  dare  ask  anything  at  all." 

"I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  said  her  father.  "My  im 
pression  is  that  Fleet  has  too  much  good  sense  to  put  on 
airs  in  the  store.  But  I  will  give  him  more  congenial 
work  ;  and  as  one  of  the  young  gentleman  clerks,  we  can 
ask  him  up  now  and  then  to  sing  with  us.  I  should  much 
enjoy  trying  some  of  our  German  music  with  him." 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

DARKNESS. 

THE  next  morning  Christine  did  not  appear  at  the  late 
breakfast  at  which  her  father  with  contracted  brow  and 
capricious  appetite  sat  alone.  Among  the  other  unex 
pected  results  of  the  preceding  day  she  had  taken  a  very 
severe  cold,  and  this,  with  the  reaction  from  fatigue  and 
excitement,  caused  her  to  feel  so  seriously  ill  that  she 
found  it  impossible  to  rise.  Her  father  looked  at  her,  and 
was  alarmed  ;  for  her  cheeks  were  flushed  with  fever,  her 
head  was  aching  sadly,  and  she  appeared  as  if  threatened 
with  one  of  those  dangerous  diseases  whose  earlier  symp 
toms  are  so  obscure  and  yet  so  much  alike.  She  tried  to 
smile,  but  her  lip  quivered,  and  she  turned  her  face  to  the 
wall. 

The  philosophy  of  Mr.  Ludolph  and  his  daughter  was 
evidently  adapted  to  fair  weather  and  smooth  sailing. 
Sickness,  disease,  and  the  possible  results,  were  things  that 
both  dreaded  more  than  they  ever  confessed  to  each  other. 
It  was  most  natural  that  they  should,  for  only  in  health  or 
life  could  they  enjoy  or  hope  for  anything.  By  their  own 
belief  their  horizon  was  narrowed  down  to  time  and  earth, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


and  they  could  look  for  nothing  beyond.  In  Mr.  Liulolph's 
imperious,  resolute  nature,  sickness  always  awakened  anger 
as  well  as  anxiety.  It  seemed  like  an  enemy  threatening 
his  dearest  hopes  and  most  cherished  ambition,  therefore 
the  heavy  frown  upon  his  brow  as  he  pushed  away  the 
scarcely  tasted  breakfast. 

To  Christine  the  thought  of  death  was  simply  horrible, 
and  with  the  whole  strength  of  her  will  she  ever  sought  to ' 
banish  it.  To  her  it  meant  corruption,  dust,  nothingness. 
With  a  few  drawbacks  she  had  enjoyed  life  abundantly, 
and  she  clung  to  it  with  the  tenacity  of  one  who  believed 
it  was  all.  With  the  exception  of  some  slight  passing  in 
disposition,  both  she  and  her  father  had  been  seldom  ill  ; 
and  for  a  number  of  years  now  they  had  voyaged  on  over_ 
smooth,  sunny  seas  of  prosperity. 

Christine's  sudden  prostration  on  the  morning  following 
the  entertainment  was  a  painful  surprise  to  both. 

"  I  will  have  Dr.  Arten  call  at  once,"  he  said,  at  parting, 
"  and  will  come  up  from  the  store  early  in  the  day  to  see 
you  ;"  and  Christine  was  left  alone  with  her  French  maid. 

Her  mind  was  too  clouded  and  disturbed  by  fever  to 
think  coherently,  and  yet  a  vague  sense  of  danger— trouble 
— oppressed  her,  and  while  she  lay  in  a  half-unconscious 
state  between  sleeping  and  waking,  a  thousand  fantastic 
visions  presented  themselves.  But  in  them  all  the  fiery 
Cross  and  Dennis.  Fleet  took  some  part.  At  times  the 
Cross-seemed  to  blaze  and  threaten  to  burn  her  to  a  cinder, 
while  he  stood  by  with  stern,  accusing  face.  The  ligh 
from  t  he  'Cross  made  him  luminous  also,  and  the  glare  was 
so  terrible  that  she  would  start  up  with  a  cry  of  fear. 
Again,  they  would  both  recede  till  in  the  far  distance  they 
shone  like  a  faint  star,  and  then  the  black  darkness  thai 
gathered  round  her  was  more  dreadful  than  the  light,  and 
with  her  eyes  closed  she  would  reach  out  her  hot  hands 
for  the  light  to  return.  Once  or  twice  it  shone  upon  her 
with  soft,  mellow  light,  and  Dennis  stood  pointing  to  it 


, 


174  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

pleading  so  earnestly  and  tenderly  that  tears  gathered  in 
her  eyes.  Then  all  was  again  blurred  and  distorted. 

Within  an  hour  after  her  father  left,  she  found  Dr.  Arten 
feeling  her  pulse  and  examining  her  symptoms  With  a 
great  effort  she  roused  herself,  and,  looking  at  the  doctor 
with  an  eager  inquiring  face,  said  :  "  Doctor,  tell  me  the 
truth.  What  is  the  matter  ?" 

He  tried  to  smile  and  evade  her  question,  but  she  would 
not  let  him. 

"  Well,  really,  Miss  Ludolph,"  he  said,  "  we  can  hardly 
tell  yet  what  is  the  matter.  You  have  evidently  caught  a 
very  severe  cold,  and  I  hope  that  is  all.  When  I  come  this 
evening  I  may  be  able  to  speak  more  definitely.  In  the 
mean  lime,  I  will  give  you  something  to  soothe  and  reduce 
your  fever." 

The  French  maid  followed  the  doctor  out,  leaving  the 
door  ajar  in  her  haste,  and  in  an  audible  whisper  said  :  "  I 
say,  docteur,  is  it  not  zo  small-pox  ?  Zere  is  so  much 
around.  Tell  me  true,  for  I  must  leave  zis  very  minute." 

"  Hush,  you  fool  !"  said  the  doctor,  and  they  passed  out 
of  hearing. 

A  sickening  dread  made  Christine's  heart  almost  stand 
still.  When  the  woman  returned  her  mistress  watched  her 
most  narrowly  and  asked,  "  What  did  the  doctor  say  to 
you?" 

The  maid  replied  in  French  that  he  had  said  she  must  be 
still  and  not  talk. 

"  But  you  asked  him  if  I  had  the  small-pox.  What  did 
he  say  ?" 

"  Ah,  mademoiselle,  you  make  one  grand  meestake.  I 
ask  for  a  small  box  to  keep  your  medicine  in,  zat  it  make 
no  smell." 

From  the  woman's  lie,  and  from  the  fact  that  she  was 
redolent  with  camphor,  and  that  she  kept  as  far  away  as 
possible,  near  the  windows,  Christine  gathered  a  most 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  175 

painful  confirmation  of  her  fears.  For  a  time  she  lay- 
almost  paralyzed  by  dread. 

Then  as  the  medicine  relieved  her  of  fever  and  un 
clouded  her  mind,  thought  and  conscience  awoke  with 
terrible  and  resistless  power.  As  never  before  she  realized 
what  cold,  dark  depths  were  just  beneath  her  gay,  pleasure- 
loving  life,  and  how  suddenly  skies  radiant  with  the  richer 
promise  of  the  future  could  become  black  and  threatening. 
Never  had  earthly  life  seemed  so  attractive,  never  had  her 
own  prospects  seemed  so  brilliant,  and  her  hopes  of  fame, 
wealth,  and  happiness  in  her  future  German  villa  more 
dazzling,  than  now  when  they  stood  out  against  the  dark 
background  of  her  fears. 

"  If,  instead  of  going  forward  to  all  this  delight,  I  become 
an  object  of  terror  and  loathing  even  before  I  die,  and 
something  that  must  be  hidden  out  of  sight  as  soon  as  pos 
sible  after,  what  conceivable  fate  could  be  worse  ?  That, 
such  a  thing  is  possible  proves  this  to  be  a  dreadful  and 
defective  world,  with  all  its  sources  of  pleasure.  Surely 
if  there  were  a  God  he  would  banish  such  horrible  evils. 

"  There  is  no  God, — there  can't  be  any, — at  least  none 
such  as  the  Bible  reveals.  How  often  I  have  said  this  to 
myself  !  how  often  my  father  has  said  it  to  me  !  and  yet 
the  thought  of  Him  torments  me  often  even  when  well. 

"  Why  does  this  thought  come  so  persistently  now  ?  I 
settled  it  long  ago,  under  father's  proof,  that  I  did  not 
believe  in  Him  or  the  superstitions  connected  with  His- 
name.  Why  doesn't  the  question  stay  settled  ?  Other 
superstitions  do  not  trouble  me.  Why  should  that  Cross 
continually  haunt  me  ?  Why  should  the  man  who  died 
thereon  have  the  power  to  be  continually  speaking  to  me 
through  His  words  that  I  have  read  ?  I  believe  in  Socrates 
as  much  as  I  do  in  Him,  and  yet  I  recall  the  Greek  sage's 
words  with  an  effort,  and  cannot  escape  from  the  Naza- 
rene's.  All  is  mystery  and  chaos  and  danger.  We  human 
creatures  are  like  frothy  bubbles  that  glisten  and  dance  for 


'.176  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


;  a  moment  on  a  swift  black  tide  that  seems  flowing  forever, 

i  and  yet  nowhere." 

Then  her  thoughts  recurred  to  Dennis. 

^  "  That  young  Fleet  seemed  to  believe  implicitly  in  what 
he  said  yesterday,  and  he  lives  up  to  what  he  believes.  I 
would  give  the  world  for  his  delusion,  were  it  only  for  its 
comforting  and  sustaining  power  for  this  life.  If  he  were 
very  ill,  he  would  be  imagining  himself  on  the  threshold 
of  some  sort  of  heaven  or  paradise,  and  would  be  calm  and 
perhaps  even  happy,  while  I  am  so  supremely  wretched. 
I  find  that  I  have  nothing, — absolutely  nothing  to  sustain 
me, — not  even  the  memory  of  good  deeds.  I  have  not 
even  lived  the  unselfish  life  that  Socrates  recommends, 
much  less  the  holy  life  of  the  Bible.  I  have  pleased  myself. 
Well,  .believing  as  I  have  been  taught,  that  seemed  the 
most  sensible  course.  Why  doesn't  it  see  in  so  now  ?" 
Thus  tossed  on  a  sea  of  uncertainty  and  fear,  Christine, 

,  in  darkness  and  weakness,  grappled  with  those  mighty 
questions  which  only  He  can  put  to  rest  who  said,  "  Let 
not  your  heart  be  troubled  :  ye  believe  in  God,  believe 
also  in  Me." 

Dennis  walked  resolutely  home.  He  felt  himself  ada 
mant  in  hie  stern  resolution.  He  at  least  had  the  death 
like  peace  that  follows  decision.  The  agony  of  conflict 
was  over  for  a  time,  and,  as  he  thought,  forever. 

From  mere  exhaustion  he  slept  heavily,  and  on  the  fol 
lowing  day  with  white  face  and  compressed  lips  entered  on 
his  work.  And  work  it  now  became  indeed  ;  for  the  old 
glamour  was  all  gone,  and  life  looked  as  practical  and  hard 
as  the  stones  of  the  street.  Even  the  pictures  on  the  walls 
seemed  to  him  but  things  for  sale,  representing  money 
values  ;  and  money  appeared  the  beginning,  middle,  and 
ending  of  the  world's  creed.  Like  the  unsubstantial  mirage 
had  vanished  the  beautiful,  happy  life  of  the  past  few 
weeks.  Around  him  were  the  rocks  and  sands  of  the 
desert,  through  which  he  must  toil  with  weary,  bleeding 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  Ill 

feet  till  he  reached  the  land  watered  by  the  river  of  life. 
Reason  and  duty,  as  he  believed,  forbade  the  existence  of 
this  foolish  passion,  and  he  must  and  would  destroy  it  ;  but 
in  his  anguish  he  felt  as  if  he  had  resolved  to  torture  him 
self  to  death. 

"  And  she  will  never  know  what  I  suffer, — never  know 
the  wealth  of  heart  I  have  lavished  upon  her.  I  am  glad 
she  will  not,  for  the  knowledge  of  my  love  would  make  no 
more  impression  on  her  cold,  proud  nature  than  a  drop  of 
warm  summer  rain  falling  on  the  brow  of  yonder  marble 
statue  of  Diana.  She  would  only  be  amazed  at  my  pre 
sumption.  She  feels  that  she  shines  down  on  me  like  the 
sun,  and  that  I  am  a  poor  little  satellite  that  she  could  blot 
out  altogether  by  causing  her  father  to  turn  me  into  the 
street  again,  which  undoubtedly  would  be  done  should  I 
reveal  my  feelings." 

And  he  was  right. 

"  Come  1"  said  he  to  himself,  breaking  from  his  painful 
revery,  "  no  weakness  !  You  have  your  way  to  make  in 
the  world,  and  your  work  to  do.  God  will  help  you,  and 
no  creature  shall  hinder  you  ;"  and  he  plunged  resolutely 
into  his  duties. 

Mr.  Ludolph  was  late  in  reaching  the  store  that  morning, 
and  Dennis  found  himself  secretly  hoping,  in  spite  of  him 
self,  that  Qhristine  would  accompany  him.  His  will  and 
heart  were  now  in  distinct  opposition,  and  the  latter  would 
not  obey  orders. 

When  Mr.  Ludolph  appeared,  it  was  with  a  frowning, 
clouded  brow.  Without  a  word  he  passed  into  his  private 
office,  but  seemed  so  restless  and  troubled  in  his  manner 
that  Dennis  felt  something  was  wrong.  Why  should  he 
take  such  an  interest  in  this  man  ?  Why  should  he  care  ? 
The  other  clerks  did  not :  not  one  save  himself  had  noticed 
anything  different.  Poor  Dennis  was  to  learn  that  he  had 
a  disease  of  many  and  varied  symptoms. 

After  something  over  an  hour  had  passed,  Mr.  Ludolph 


178  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

started  from  his  desk,  took  his  hat  and  cane  as  with  the 
purpose  of  going  out,— a  very  unusual  thing  at  that  time. 
But,  as  he  was  passing  down  the  store,  he  met  Dr.  Arten 
opposite  Dennis's  counter. 

"  Well  ?"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  impatiently. 

"I  will  call  again  this  evening,"  said  the  doctor,  pru 
dently  non-committal.  "  Your  daughter  has  caught  a  very 
severe  cold.  I  hope  it  is  nothing  more  than  a  cold,  hut  so 
many  troublesome  diseases  commence  with  these  obscure 
symptoms  that  we  have  to  wait  till  further  developments 
reveal  the  true  nature  of  the  case." 

•>  "  You  doctors  make  no  headway  in  banishing  disease 
|from  the  world,"  snarled  Mr.  Ludolph.  "  There  is  small- 
|pox  around,  is  there  not  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  am  sorry  to  say  there  is  a  great  deal  of  it,  but  il 
you  remember  the  history  of  that  one  disease,  I  think  you 
will  admit  your  remark  to  be  unfair." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  doctor,  but  I  am  anxious,  and  all 
out  of  sorts,  as  I  ever  am  in  sickness"  (when  affecting  him 
self,  —he  might  justly  have  added).     "  It  seems  such  a 
senseless,  useless  evil  in  the  world.      The  idea  of  you 
|  Christians  believing  a  benevolent  Being  rules  the  world, 
/  j  and  that  He  permits  small-pox.     Can  it  be  possible  that 
jjny  daughter  has  contracted  this  loathsome  horror  ?" 

"  Well,  it  is  possible,  but  I  hope  not  at  all  probable. 
We  doctors  are  compelled  to  look  at  the  practical  rather 
than  the  theological  side  of  the  question.  It  is  possible 
for  any  one  to  have  this  disease.  Has  your  daughter  been 
vaccinated  ?" 

"  No  !"  growled  Mr.  Ludolph.  "  I  don't  believe  in 
vaccination.  It  is  as  apt  to  vitiate  the  system  as  to  protect 
it." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  that,"  said  the  doctor,  looking  grave. 

Keen  Mr.  Ludolph  saw  and  read  his  physician's  expres 
sion  accurately.  Seizing  his  hand  he  said,  eagerly  :  "  Par 
don  me,  doctor  ;  you  can  understand  a  father's  feelings. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  179 

Watch  this  case  night  and  day.  Spare  no  pains,  and  be 
assured  I  will  regret  no  expense  ;"  and  he  hastened  away 
to  his  daughter's  bedside. 

No  prisoner  at  the  bar  ever  listened  with  more  interest 
than  Dennis.  If  it  had  been  his  own  case  they  were  dis 
cussing  it  would  not  have  touched  him  half  so  nearly. 

But  a  moment  before,  Christine  in  her  pride,  wealth,  and 
beauty  seemed  destined  to  go  through  life  as  in  a  trium 
phant  march.  Now  he  saw  her  to  be  a  weak  human  creat 
ure,  threatened  asf  sorely  as  the  poorest  and  humblest. 
Her  glorious  beauty,  even  her  life,  might  pass  away  in  Le 
Grand  Hotel  as  surely  as  in  a  tenement  house.  The  very 
thought  thrilled  him  with  fear.  Then  a  great  pity  rushed 
into  his  soul  like  a  tide,  sweeping  everything  before  it. 
His  stern  resolution  to  stifle  and  trample  upon  his  love 
melted  like  a  snow-wreath,  and  every  interest  of  life  centred 
in  the  darkened  room  where  Christine  tossed  and  moaned 
in  the  deeper  darkness  of  uncertainty  and  doubt.  The 
longing  to  go  to  her  with  comfort  and  help  was  so  intense 
that  it  required  the  utmost  effort  of  reason  and  will  to 
prevent  such  rash  action.  He  trembled  at  himself, — at  the 
strength  of  his  feelings, — and  saw  that  though  he  might 
C9ntrol  outward  action  his  heart  had  gone  from  him  beyond 
remedy,  and  that  his  love,  so  long  unrecognized,  was  now 
like  the  principal  source  of  the  Jordan,  that  springs  from 
the  earth  a  full-grown  river,  and  that  he  could  not  help  it. 

Mr.  Ludolph  found  little  comfort  at  his  daughter's  bed 
side.  Sending  her  maid  away,  who  was  glad  to  go,  Chris 
tine  told  what  she  had  overheard.  Small- pox  seemed  in 
the  mind  of  every  one,  but  this  was  not  strange,  since  it 
was  so  prevalent  in  the  city. 

"  O  father,  what  shall  I  do,— what  shall  I  do,  if  this 
should  be  the  case  ?  Janette  will  leave  me,  and  there  will 
be  no  one  to  take  care  of  me.  I  know  I  shall  die,  and  I 
might  as  well  as  to  be  made  hideous  by  this  horrible  dis 
ease.  No,  I  would  rather  live,  on  any  terms  ;  for  to  die  is 


180 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


to  be  nothing.  O  father,  are  you  sure  the  Bible  is  all 
false  ?  There  is  so  much 'in  it  to  comfort  the  sick."' If  I 
could  only  believe  iu  such  a  life  hereafter  as  Susie  Win- 
throp  does,  I  would  as  soon  die  as  not." 

"  No,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  firmly,  "  your  only  chance  is 
to  get  well.  There  is  no  use  in  deceiving  ourselves.  I 
have  secured  the  services  of  the  most  skilful  of  physicians, 
and  will  see  that  you  have  every  attention.  So  try  to  be 
as  calm  as  possible,  and  co-operate  with  every  effort  to 
baffle  and  banish  disease.  After  all  it  may  be  nothing 
more  than  a  severe  cold." 

So  then  in  very  truth  this  world  was  all.  In  bitterness 
and  dread  she  realized  how  slight  was  her  hold  upon  it. 
To  her  healthful  body  pain  was  a  rare  experience,  but  now 
her  head  and  every  bone  ached,  and  the  slightest  move 
ment  caused  increased  suffering.  But  her  mental  trouble 
was  by  far  the  greatest.  Often  she  murmured  to  herself, 
'"  Oh  that  I  had  been  trained  to  the  grossest  superstitions, 
Iso  that  I  might  not  look  down  into  this  black  bottomless 
Wulf  that  unbelief  opens  at  my  feet  i"  and  she  tossed  and 
moaned  most  piteously. 

Mr.  Ludolph  returned  to  the  store  in  an  exceedingly 
worried  and  anxious  state.  As  he  entered  he  caught  Den 
nis's  eager,  questioning  gaze,  and  a  thought  struck  him  : 
"  Perhaps  this  young  fellow,  through  his  mission  school, 
may  know  of  some  good,  trustworthy  woman  who  would 
act  as  nurse  ;"  and  coming  to  Dennis  he  explained  the 
situation,  and  then  asked  if  he  knew  of  any  one,  or  could 
find  a  suitable  person. 

Dennis  listened  eagerly,  thought  a  moment,  and  then 
said,  with  a  flushed  face  and  in  a  low  tone  :  "  I  think  my 
mother  would  be  willing  to  come.  She  has  had  the  small 
pox  and  would  not  be  afraid." 

"But  would  she  be  willing  ?" 

"  I  think  I  could  persuade  her,"  said  Dennis. 

Mr.  Ludolph  thought  a  moment,  then  said:  "I  think 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  181 

she  would  be  the  one  of  all  others,  for  she  must  be  very 
much  of  a  lady,  and  I  would  not  like  to  put  my  daughter 
in  charge  of  a  common,  coarse  woman.  You  may  rest 
assured  that  I  would  reward  her  liberally." 

"  She  would  not  come  for  money,  sir." 

"  What  then  ?" 

Dennis  flushed  now  more  deeply  than  before.  He  had 
been  speaking  for  his  mother  from  his  own  point  of  view, 
and  now  he  hardly  knew  what  to  say,  for  he  was  not  good 
at  evasion.  But  he  told  the  truth,  if  not  all  the  truth. 
"  We  feel  very  grateful  to  you  for  the  means  of  support, 
and  a  chance  in  life  when  the  world  was  very  dark.  You 
have  since  promoted  me — " 

"  Nonsense  !"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  somewhat  touched, 
though;  "you  have  earned  every  dollar  you  have  re 
ceived,  and  your  coming  has  been  of  advantage  to  me  also. 
But  if  your  mother  will  meet  this  need,  should  it  occur, 
neither  of  you  will  have  cause  to  regret  it ;"  and  he  passed 
on  to  his  office,  but  soon  after  went  away  again  and  did 
not  return  that  day. 

To  Dennis  the  hours  dragged  on  like  years,  full  of  sus 
pense  and  mental  tumult.  At  times  he  would  bow  his  head 
behind  his  counter,  and  pray  in  tearful  fervor  for  the  ob 
ject  of  his  constant  thought.  The  day  was  rainy,  and  the 
store  empty  of  customers,  for  which  he  was  most  thank 
ful,  as  he  would  have  made  the  poorest  of  salesmen.  At 
last  the  hour  for  closing  arrived,  and  he  was  left  to  him 
self.  In  the  solitude  of  his  own  room  he  once  more  looked 
the  situation  fairly  in  the  face.  With  his  head  bowed  in 
his  hands  he  reflected  :  "  Last  night  I  tJwught  to  tear  this 
love  from  my  heart,  but  to-night  I  find  that  this  would  be 
to  tear  out  my  heart  itself.  I  cannot  do  it.  It  is  my 
strongest  conviction  that  I  can  no  more  stop  loving  her 
than  I  can  stop  living.  Unconsciously  this  love  has  grown 
until  now  it  is  my  master,  and  it  is  folly  to  make  any  more 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


resolves,  only  to  be  as  weak  as  water  when  I  least  expect 
it.  What  shall  I  do  ?" 

Motionless,  unconscious  of  the  lapse  of  time,  he  remained 
hour  after  hour  absorbed  in  painful  thought.  Circum 
stances,  reason,  the  Bible,  all  seemed  to  frown  upon  his- 
love  ;  but,  though  it  appeared  to  be  hopeless,  his  whole 
nature  revolted  against  the  idea  of  its  being  wrong. 

"  it  cannot  be  wrong  to  love,  purely  and  unselfishly," 
he  muttered.  "  Such  love  as  mine  seems  to  carry  Us  own 
conviction  of  right  with  it,  —  an  inner  consciousness  that 
seems  so  strong  and  certain  as  to  be  beyond  argument,  — 
beyond  everything  ;  and  yet  if  God's  Word  is  against  it 
I  must  be  wrong,  and  my  heart  is  misleading  me." 

Again  in  unbroken  silence  an  hour  passed  away.     Then 

the  thought  struck  him:  "It  is  not  contrary  to   God's 

action  !     He  so  loved  the  world—  unbelievers'  and  all  —as  to 

j-  give  His  bestjud  dearest  -LjCan  it  be  wrong  to  be  Godlike  ?" 

"  It  is  not  wise,  it  is  not  safeT^  pruderTce^wMsptired  ,  "  to 
give  a  worldly,  unbelieving  spirit  the  power  to  influence 
you  that  she  will  have  who  is  first  in  your  heart.  Wkat 
true  congeniality  can  there  be  ?  What  fellowship  hath 
righteousness  with  unrighteousness  ?  or  what  part  hath  he 
that  belie  veth  with  an  infidel  ?  As  the  most  intimate 
friend  and  companion  in  life,  you  should  seek  one  who 
truly  can  be  one  with  you  in  all  things,  and  most  assuredly 
so  in  this  vital  respect." 

"Ah,"  thought  Dennis,  "that  would  have  been  very 
good  advice  to  give  awhile  ago.  If  from  the  first  I  could 
have  understood  my  feelings  and  danger,  I  might  have 
steeled  my  heart  against  the  influences  that  have  brought 
me  to  this.  But  the  mischief  is  done.  The  words  that 
now,  in  spite  of  myself,  continually  run  in  my  mind,  are, 
'  What  God  hath  joined  together  let  not  man  put  asunder.' 
It  seems  as  if  some  resistless  power  had  joined  my  soul  to 
hers,  and  I  find  no  strength  within  myself  to  break  the 
bond.  I  am  not  usually  irresolute  ;  I  think  I  have  prin- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  183 

ciple  ;  and  yet  I  feel  that  I  should  not  dare  make  the  most 
solemn  vow  against  this  love.  I  should  be  all  the  more 
weak  because  conscience  does  not  condemn  me.  It  seems 
to  have  a  light  that  reason  and  knowledge  know  not  of. 
And  yet  I  wish  I  could  be  more  sure.  I  wish  I  could  say 
to  myself,  I  may  be  loving  hopelessly,  but  not  sinfully. 
I  would  take  the  risk.  Indeed  I  cannot  help  taking  it. 
Oh  that  I  could  find  light,  clear  and  unmistakable  !" 

He  rose,  turned  up  his  light,  and  opened  the  Pauline 
precepts.  These  words  struck  his  eye,  "  Art  thou  bound 
unto  a  wife  ?  Seek  not  to  be  loosed."  Then,  above,  the 
words,  "  How  knowest  thou,  O  man,  whether  thou  shalt 
save  thy  wife,  even  though  she  be  an  unbeliever?" 

"  Am  I  not  bound, — bound  by  that  which  is  God's  link 
in  the  chain  ?  It  does  not  seem  as  if  the  legal  contract 
could  change  or  strengthen  my  feelings  materially,  and 
while  honoring  the  inviolable  rite  of  marriage,  which  is 
God's  law  and  society's  safety,  I  know  that  nothing  can 
more  surely  bind  me  to  her,  so  that  the  spirit,  the  vital 
part  of  the  passage,  applies  to  me.  Theji-ii-  through  this 
love  I  could__savfi-Jiexrr=-.if  by  prayer  and  effort  I  could 
brtngTier  feet  into  the  paths  of  life, — I  should  feel  repaid 
for  jail  that  ILcould  possibly  suffer.  She  may  slight  my 
human  love  with  its  human  consummation,  but  God  will 
not  let  a  life  of  prayer  and  true  love  be  wasted,  and  she 
may  learn  here,  or  know  hereafter,  that  though  the  world 
laid  many  rich  gifts  at  her  feet,  I  brought  the  best  of  all.  '-lj 

He  looked  out,  and  saw  that  the  early  spring  dawn  was 
tingeing  the  horizon. 

"A  good  omen,"  he  said  aloud.  "Perhaps  the  night 
of  this  trouble  is  past,  and  the  dawn  is  coming.  I  am  con 
vinced  that  it  is  not  wrong  ;  and  I  am  resolved  to  make 
the  almost  desperate  attempt.  A  mysterious  hope,  coming 
from  I  know  not  where,  or  what,  seems  to  beckon  and 
encourage  me  forward." 

Dennis  was  young. 


184  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY, 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MISS   LUDOLPH   COMMITS   A   THEFT. 

MR.  LUDOLPH  on  his  return  found  Christine  suffering 
from  a  nervous  horror  of  the  small- pox.  From  the  indis 
creet  and  callous  maid,  intent  on  her  own  safety,  and  pre 
paring  to  palliate  the  cowardice  of  her  flight  should  her 
fears  prove  true,  Christine  learned  that  the  city  was  full 
of  this  loathsome  disease,  and  her  feelings  were  harrowed 
by  exaggerated  instances  of  its  virulent  and  contagious 
character. 

"  But  you  will  surely  stay  with  me,"  pleaded  Christine. 

"  Mademoiselle  could  not  expect  zat." 

"Heartless!"  muttered  Christine.  Then  she  said: 
"  Won't  you  go  for  Susie  Winthrop  ?  Oh,  how  I  would 
like  to  see  her  now  !" 

"  She  vould  not  come  ;  no  von  vould  come  who  knew." 

Christine  wrung  her  hands  and  cried,  "  Oh,  I  shall  die 
alone  and  deserted  of  all !" 

"No,  you  shall  not,"  said  her  father,  entering  at  that 
moment;  "so  do  not  give  way,  my  dear.— Leave  the 
room,  stupid  !"  (to  the  maid,  who  again  gladly  escaped, 
resolving  not  to  re-enter  till  the  case  was  decided).  "  I 
have  secured  the  best  of  physicians,  and  the  best  of  nurses, 
and  by  to-night  or  to-morrow  morning  we  shall  know  about 
what  to  expect.  I  cannot  help  hoping  still  that  it  is  only 
a  severe  cold."  And  he  told  her  of  Dennis's  offer  of  his 
mother's  services.  ^ 

"  I  am  sure  I  should  like  her,  for  somehow  I  picture  1o 
myself  a  kind,  motherly  person.  What  useful  creatures 
those  Fleets  are  !  They  are  on  hand  in  emergencies  when 
one  so  needs  help.  It  seemed  very  nice  to  have  young 
Fleet  my  humble  servant  ;  but  really,  father,  he  deserves 
promotion. ' ' 


135 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  IS; 

' '  He  shall  have  it,  and  I  doubt  not  will  be  just  as  ready 
to  do  your  bidding  as  ever.  It  is  only  commonplace  people 
whose  heads  are  turned  by  a  little  prosperity.  Fleet  knew 
he  was  a  gentleman  before  he  came  to  the  store." 

"  Father,  if  I  should  have  the  small-pox  and  live,  would 
my  beaut — would  I  become  a  fright  ?" 

"  Not  necessarily.  Let  us  hope  for  the  best.  Make  the 
most  of  the  world,  and  never  endure  evils  till  they  come, 
are  my  maxims.  Half  of  suffering  is  anticipation  of  pos 
sible  or  probable  evil." 

"  Father,"  said  Christine,  abruptly,  "  I  believe  you  are  * 
right,  you  must  be  right,  and  have  given  me  the  best  com-  ^ 
fort  and  hope  that  truthfully  can  be  given.  But  this  is  a 
strange,  cruel  w^rld.  We  seem  the  sport  of  circumstances, 
the  victims  of  hard,  remorseless  laws.  One  bad  person 
can  frightfully  injure  another  person"  (a  spasm  distorted 
her  father's  face).  "  What  accidents  may  occur  !  Worst 
of  all  are  those  horrible,  subtle,  contagious  diseases  which, 
none  can  see  or  guard  against !  Then  to  suffer,  die,  cor 
rupt, — faugh  !  To  what  a  disgusting  end,  to  what  a  lamel 
and  impotent  conclusion,  does  the  noble  creature,  man, 
come  !  My  whole  nature  revolts  at  it.  For  instance,  here 
am  I  a  young  girl,  capable  of  the  highest  enjoyment,  with 
everything  to  live  for,  and  lured  forward  by  the  highest 
hopes  and  expectations  ;  and  yet,  in  spite  of  all  the  safe 
guards  you  can  place  around  me,  my  path  is  in  the  midst; 
of  dangers,  and  now  perhaps  I  am  to  be  rendered  hideous, 
if  not  killed  outright,  bj'a  disease  the  very  thought  of 
which  fills  me  with  loathing.  What  I  fear  has  happened, 
and  may  happen  again.  And  what  compensation  is  there 
for  it  all  ? — what  can  enable  one  to  bear  it  all  ?  Oil  that 
I  could  belie ve*m_a  God  and  a  future  happierJifeT^ 
^il^Qd~what~kjniL  of  a  God  would  He  be  who,  having 
the  power~to~prevent,  permits,  or  orders,  as  the  Bible  i/ 
teacTTes7  all  these  evils?  I  am  a  man  of  tEe~WO»ld,  and 
pretend  to  nothing  saint-like  or  chivalric,  but  do  you  think 


18G  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

I  am  capable  of  going  to  Mr.  Wintlirop  and  striking  down 
his  daughter  Susie  with  a  loathsome  disease  ?  And  yet  if 
a  minister  or  priest  should  come  here  he  would  begin  to 

P*~!k  about  the  mysterious  providence,  and  submission  to 
>d's  will.     If  I  am  to  have  a  God,  I  want  one  at  least 
tter  than  myself." 
"You  must  be  right,"  said  Christine,   with  a   weary 
moan.     "  There  is  no  God,  and  if  there  were,  in  view  of 
what  you  say,  I  could  only  hate  and  fear  Him.     How 
chaotic  the  world  is  !     But  it  is  hard."     After  a  moment 
•^she  added,  slmdderingly  :  "  It  is  horrible.  ^IJtiti.  not  think 
-/'qf_these_thmgs  when  well  " 

"  Get  well  and  forget  them  again,  my  dear.  It  is  the 
best  you  can  do. ' ' 

"  If  I  get  well,"  said  Christine,  almost  fiercely,  "  I  shall 
get  the  most  I  can  out  of  life,  cost  what  it  may  ;"  and  she 
turned  her  face  to  the  wall. 

A  logical  result  of  his  teaching,  but  for  some  reason  it 
awakened  in  Mr.  Ludolph  a  vague  foreboding. 

The  hours  dragged  on,  and  late  in  the  afternoon  the 
hard-driven  physician  appeared,  examined  his  patient,  and 
seemed  relieved. 

"  If  there  is  no  change  for  the  worse,"  he  said,  cheerily, 
"  if  no  new  symptoms  develop  by  to-morrow,  I  can 
pronounce  this  merely  a  severe  cold,  caused  by  the  state 
of  the  system  and  too  sudden  check  of  perspiration  ;"  and 
the  doctor  gave  an  opiate  and  bowed  himself  out. 

Long  and  heavily  Christine  slept.  The  night  that  Den 
nis,  filled  with,  agonizing  pray.er-.and  thought  was  to  her  a 
blank.  While  he  in  his  strong  Christian  love  brought 
heaven  nearer  to  her,  while  he  resolved  on  that  which 
would  give  her  a  chance  for  life,  happy  life,  here  and 
hereafter,  she  was  utterly  unconscious.  No  vision  or  pre 
sentiment  of  good,  like  a  struggling  ray  of  light,  found 
access  to  her  darkened  spirit.  So  heavy  was  the  stupor 
induced  by  the  opiate,  that  her  sleep  seemed  like  the  blank 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  (187 

she  so  feared,  when  her  brilliant,  ambitious  life  should 
end  in  nothingness. 

So  I  suppose  God's  love  meditates  good,  and  resolves  on 
life  and  joy  for  us,  while  our  hearts  are  sleeping,  dead  to 
ffim,  benumbed  and  paralyzed  so  that  only  His  love  can 
awaken  them.  Like  a  vague  yet  hope -inspiring  dream, 
this  truth  often  enteis  the  minds  of  those  who  are  wrapped 
m  the  spiritual  lethargy  that  may  end  in  death.  God 
"waEesTwatches,  loves,  and  purposes  good  for  them.  When 
we  are  most  unconscious,  perhaps  another  effort  for  our 
salvation  has  been  resolved  upon  in  the  councils  of 
heaven. 

But  ambition  more  than  love,  earthly  hopes  rather  than 
heavenly,  kept  Mr.  Ludolph  an  anxious  watcher  at  Chris 
tine's  side  that  night.  A  smile  of  satisfaction  illumined 
his  somewhat  haggard  face  as  he  saw  the  fever  pass  away 
and  the  dew  of  natural  moisture  come  out  on  Christine's 
brow,  but  there  was  no  thankful  glance  upward.  Im 
munity  from  loathsome  disease  was  due  only  to  chance 
and  the  physician's  skill,  by  his  creed. 

The  sun  was  shining  brightly  when  Christine  awoke  and 
by  a  faint  call  startled  her  father  from  a  doze  in  the  great 
arm-chair. 

"  How  do  you  feel,  my  dear?"  he  asked. 

She  languidly  rubbed  her  heavy  eyes,  and  said  she 
thought  she  was  better,— she  felt  no  pain.  The  opiate  had 
not  yet  lost  its  effect.  But  soon  she  greatly  revived,  and 
when  the  doctor  came  he  found  her  decidedly  better,  and 
concluded  that  she  was  merely  suffering  from  a  severe 
cold,  and  would  soon  regain  her  usual  health. 

Father  and  daughter  were  greatly  relieved,  and  their 
spirits  rose. 

"I  really  feel  as  if  I  ought  to  thank  somebody,"  said 
Christine.  "  I  am  not  going  to  thank  the  doctor,  for  I 
know  what  a  bill  is  coming,  so  I  will  thank  you.  It  was 
very  kind  of  you  to  sit  up  the  long  night  with  me." 


188  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Even  Mr.  Ludolph  had  to  remember  that  he  had  in  his 
anxiety  thought  as  much  of  himself  as  of  her. 

"  Another  lease  of  life,"  said  Christine,  dreamily  looking 
into  the  future;  "and,  as  I  said  last  night,  I  mean  to 
make  the  most  of  it." 

"  I  can  best  guide  you  in  doing  that,"  said  her  father, 
looking  into  his  daughter's  face  with  keen  scrutiny. 

"  I  believe  you,  and  intend  to  give  you  the  chance. 
When  can  we  leave  this  detested  land,  this  city  of  shops 
and  speculators  ?  To  think  that  I,  Christine  Ludolph,  am 
sick,  idle,  and  perhaps  have  endangered  all  by  reason  of 
foolish  exposure  in  a  brewer's  tawdry,  money-splashed 
house  !  Come,  father,  when  is  the  next  scene  in  the  brief 
drama  to  open  ?  I  am  impatient  to  go  home  to  our  beloved 
Germany  and  enter  on  real  life." 

"  Well,  my  dear,  if  all  goes  well,  we  can  enter  on  our 
true  career  a  year  from  next  fall,— a  short  year  and  a  half. 
Do  not  blame  the  delay,  for  it  will  enable  us  to  live  in 
Germany  in  almost  royal  style.  I  never  was  making 
money  so  rapidly  ^  as  now.  I  have  invested  in  that  which 
cannot  depreciate,'  and  thus  far  has  advanced  beyond  be 
lief, — buildings  in  the  business  part  of  the  city.  Rents  are 
paying_jne_jTom  twenty  to  a  hundred  per  cent.  At  the 
saine  time  I  could~seTt~mit~Tri:-ti  month.  So  you  see  you 
have  only  to  co-operate  with  me, — to  preserve  health  and 
strength, — to  enjoy  all  that  money  can  insure  ;  and  money 
can  buy  almost  everything." 

"""Christine's  eyes  sparkled  as  the  future  opened  before 
her,  and  she  said,  with  emphasis,  "  If  /  could  preserve 
health  and  strength,  I  would  live  a  thousand  years." 

"  You  can  do  much  toward  it.  Every  chance  is  in  favor 
of  prudence  and  wise  action  ;"  and,  much  relieved,  her 
father  went  to  the  store. 

Business  had  accumulated,  and  in  complete  absorption 
he  gave  himself  to  it.  With  an  anxiety  beyond  expression, 
Dennis,  flushed  and  trembling,  ventured  to  approach. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  189 

Merely  glancing  to  see  who  it  was,  Mr.  Ludolph,  with  his 
head  bent  over  his  writing,  said,  "  Miss  Ludolph  is  better 
— no  fear  of  small-pox,  I  think— you  need  not  write  to 
your  mother— greatly  obliged." 

It  was  well  for  Dennis  that  his  employer  did  not  look 
up.  The  open  face  of  Mr.  Ludolph's  clerk  expressed 
more  than  friendly  interest  in  his  daughter's  health.  The 
young  man  went  to  his  tasks  with  a  mountain  of  fear  lifted 
from  his  heart. 

But  the  thought  of  the  beloved  one  lying  alone  and  sick    ^ 
at  the  hotel  seemed  very  pathetic  to  him.     Love  filled  his 
heart  withjEQore._syjnDatliy  for  Christine  uponTier  luxini-.. 
O.US  couch,  in  rapid  convalescence,  than  for  all  the  hopeless 
guffering  of  Chicago.     What  could  he  do  for  her  ?    She 
seemed  so  far  off,  so  high  and  distant,  that  he  could  not 
reach  her.     If  he  ventured  to  send  anything,  prudence 
whispered  that  she  would  regard  it  as  an  impertinence. 
But  love  can  climb  every  steep  place,  and  prudence  is  not 
its  grand-vizier. 

Going  by  a  fruit-store  in  the  afternoon,  he  saw  some  tine 
strawberries,  the  first  in  from  the  South.  He  bought  a 
basket,  decorated  it  with  German  ivy  obtained  at  a  flower- 
stand,  and  spirited  it  upstairs  to  his  room  as  if  it  were  the 
most  dangerous  of  contraband.  In  a  disguised  hand  he 
wrote  on  a  card,  "For  Miss  Ludolph."  Calling  Ernst, 
who  had  little  to  do  at  that  hour  of  the  day,  he  said  : 
"  Ernst,  my  boy,  take  this  parcel  to  Le  Grand  Hotel,  and 
say  it  is  for  Miss  Christine  Ludolph.  Tell  them  to  send  it 
right  up,  but  on  no  account — remember,  on  no  account — 
tell  any  one  who  sent  it.  Carry  it  carefully  in  just  this 
manner." 

Ernst  was  soon  at  his  destination,  eager  to  do  anything 
for  his  friend. 

After  all,  the  day  had  proved  a  long  one  for  Christine. 
Unaccustomed  to  the  restraints  of  sickness,  she  found  the 
enforced  inaction  very  wearisome.  Mind  and  body  both 


190  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

seemed  weak.  The  sources  of  chief  enjoyment  when  well 
seemed  powerless  to  contribute  much  now.  In  silken  rob,e 
she  reclined  in  an  arm-chair,  or  languidly  sauntered  about 
the  room.  She  took  up  a  book  only  to  throw  it  down 
again.  Her  pencil  fared  no  better.  Ennui  gave  to  her 
fair  young  face  the  expression  of  one  who  had  tried  the 
world  for  a  century  and  found  it  wanting.  She  was  lean 
ing  her  elbow  on  the  window  sill,  gazing  vacantly  into  the 
street,  when  Ernst  appeared. 

"  Janette,"  she  said,  suddenly,  "do  you  see  that  boy? 
He  is  employed  at  the  store.  Go  bring  him  up  here  ;  I 
want  him  ;"  and  with  more  animation  than  she  had  shown 
that  day  she  got  out  materials  for  a  sketch. 

"  I  must  get  that  boy's  face,"  she  said,  "  before  good 
living  destroys  all  his  artistic  merit." 

Ernst  was  unwilling  to  come,  but  the  maid  almost 
dragged  him  up. 

"  What  have  you  got  there  ?"  asked  Miss  Ludolph,  with 
a  reassuring  smile. 

"  Something  for  Miss  Ludolph,"  stammered  the  boy, 
looking  very  much  embarrassed. 

Christine  carefully  opened  the  parcel  and  then  exclaimed 
with  delight :  "  Strawberries,  as  I  live  !  the  very  ambrosia 
of  the  gods.  Papa  sent  them,  did  he  not  ?" 

"  No,"  said  the  boy,  hanging  his  head. 

' '  Who  did,  then  ?"  said  Christine,  looking  at  him  keenly. 

He  shuffled  uneasily,  but  made  no  answer. 

"  Come,  I  insist  on  knowing,"  she  cried,  her  wilful  spirit 
and  curiosity  both  aroused. 

The  boy  was  pale  and  frightened,  and  she  was  mentally 
taking  notes  of  his  face.  But  he  said,  doggedly,  "  I  can't 
tell." 

P      "  But  I  say  you  must.     Don't  you  know  that  I  am  Miss 
1  Ludolph?" 

"I  don't  care  what  you  do  to  me,"  said  the  little  fellow, 
\  beginning  to  cry,  "  I  won't  tell. " 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  191 

•'  Why  won't  you  tell,  my  boy?"  said  Christine,  cun 
ningly,  in  a  wheedling  tone  of  voice. 

Before  he  knew  it,  the  frightened,  bewildered  boy  fell 
into  the  trap,  and  he  sobbed,  "  Because  Mr.  Fleet  told  me 
not  to,  and  I  wouldn't  disobey  him  to  save  my  life." 

A  look  of  surprise^  and  then  a  broad  smile,  stole  over 
the  young  girl's  face, — at  the  gift,  the  messenger,  and  at 
him  who  sent  it.  It  was  indeed  a  fresh  and  unexpected 
little  episode,  breaking  the  monotony  of  the  day, —as  fresh 
and  pleasing  to  her  as  one  of  the  luscious  berries  so  grate 
ful  to  her  parched  mouth. 

"  You  need  not  tell  me,"  she  said,  soothingly,  "  if  Mr. 
Fleet  told  you  not  to." 

The  boy  saw  the  smile,  and  in  a  moment  realized  that 
he  had  been  tricked  out  of  the  forbidden  knowledge. 

His  little  face  glowed  with  honest  indignation,  and  looking 
straight  at  Miss  Ludo]ph,  with  his  great  eyes  flashing 
through  the  tears,  he  said,  "  You  stole  that  from  me." 

Even  she  colored  a  little  and  bit  her  lip  imder  the 
merited  charge.  But  all  this  made  him  all  the  more  inter 
esting  as  an  art  study,  and  she  was  now  sketching  away 
rapidly.  She  coolly  replied,  however,  "  You  don't  know 
the  world  very  well  yet,  my  little  man." 

The  boy  said  nothing,  but  stood  regarding  her  with  his 
unnaturally  large  eyes  filled  with  anger,  reproach,  and 
wonder. 

"Oh,"  thought  Christine,  "if  I  could  only  paint  that 
expression  !" 

"  You  seem  a  great  friend  of  Mr.  Fleet,"  she  said,  study 
ing  and  sketching  him  as  if  he  had  been  an  inanimate 
object. 

The  boy  made  no  answer. 

"  Perhaps  you  do  not  know  that  I  am  a  friend,  — friendly," 
she  added,  correcting  herself,  "  to  Mr.  Fleet  also." 

"  Mr.  Fleet  never  likes  to  have  his  friends  do  wrong," 
said  the  boy,  doubtingly. 


192  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Again  she  colored  a  little,  for  Ernst's  pure  and  reproach 
ful  face  made  her  feel  that  she  had  done  a  mean  thing,  but 
she  laughed  and  said  :  "  You  see  I  am  not  in  his  mission 
class,  and  have  never  had  the  instruction  that  you  have. 
But,  after  all,  why  do  you  think  Mr.  Fleet  better  than 
other  people?" 

''By  what  he  does." 

"  That  is  a  fair  test ;  what  has  he  done  ?" 

"  He  saved  us  all  from  starving,  and  worse  than  starv 
ing." 

Then  with  feminine  tact  she  drew  from  him  his  story, 
and  it  was  told  with  deep  feeling  and  the  natural  pathos 
of  childhood,  and  his  gratitude  caused  him  to  dwell  with 
.  a  simple  eloquence  on  the  part  Dennis  had  taken,  while 
his  rich  and  loved  German  accent  made  it  all  the  more 
interesting  to  Christine.  She  dropped  her  pencil,  and, 
when  he  finished,  her  eyes,  that  were  seldom  moistened  by 
the  dew  of  sympathy,  were  wet. 

'"  Good-by,  my  child,"  she  said,  in  a  voice  so  kind  and 
sweet  that  it  seemed  as  if  another  person  had  spoken. 
u  You  shall  come  again,  and  then  I  shall  finish  my  sketch. 
When  I  get  well  I  shall  go  to  see  your  father's  picture. 
Do  not  be  afraid  ;  neither  you  nor  Mr.  Fleet  will  fare  the 
worse  for  the  strawberries,  and  you  may  tell  him  that  they 
have  done  me  much  good." 

When  Dennis,  wondering  at  Ernst's  long  absence,  heard 
from  him  his  story,  his  mind  was  in  a  strange  tumult,  and 
a  yet  the  result  of  his  effort  seemed  favorable.  But  he 
learned  more  fully  than  ever  that  Christine  was  not  per 
fect,  and  that  her  faultless  beauty  and  taste  were  but  the 
fair  mask  of  a  deformed  spirit.  But  he  dwelt  in  hope  on 
the  feeling  she  had  shown  at  Ernst's  story. 

"She  seemed  to  have  two  hearts,"  said  the  boy,— 
"  a  good,  kind  one  way  inside  the  cold,  hard  outside 
one. " 

"That  is  about  the  truth,"  thought  Dennis.     "Good- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  193 

night,  Ernst.     I  don't  blame  you,  my  boy,  for  you  did  the 
best  you  could." 

He  had  done  better  than  Dennis  knew. 


CHAPTER  .XXVII. 

A    MISERABLE    TRIUMPH. 

AFTER  Ernst's  departure  Christine  reclined  wearily  in 
her  chair,  quite  exhausted  by  even  the  slight  effort  she  had 
made,  but  her  thoughts  were  busy. 

"  What  a  unique  character  that  Dennis  Fleet  is  !  And 
yet,  in  view  of  what  he  believes  and  professes,  he  is  both 
natural  and  consistent.  He  seems  humble  only  in  station, 
and  that  is  not  his  fault.  Everything  he  does  seems 
marked  by  unusual  good  taste  and  intelligence.  His 
earlier  position  and  treatment  in  the  store  must  have  been 
very  galling.  I  can  hardly  believe  that  the  gentleman 
I  sang  Mendelssohn's  music  with  the  other  evening  was 
the  same  that  I  laughed  at  as  he  blacked  old  Schwartz's 
boots.  And  yet  he  saw  me  laugh,  and  blacked  the  boots, 
conscious  that  he  was  a  gentleman.  It  must  have  been 
very  hard.  And  yet  I  would  rather  do  such  work  myself 
than  live  on  charity,  and  so  undoubtedly  he  felt.  It  is 
very  fortunate  that  we  nearly  finished  the  rearrangement 
of  the  pictures  before  all  this  occurred,  for  I  could  not 
order  him  about  now  as  I  have  done.  The  fact  is,  I  like 
servants,  not  dignified  helpers  ;  and  knowing  what  I  do, 
even  if  he  would  permit  it,  I  could  not  speak  to  him  as 
formerly.  But  he  did  show  wonderful  taste  and  skill  in 
his  help.  See  now  that  little  ivy-twined  basket  of  luscious 
fruit :  it  looks  just  like  him.  If  he  were  only  rich  and 
titled,  what  a  genuine  nobleman  he  would  make  !  He  is 
nmong  the  few  men  who  do  not  weary  or  disgust  me  ;  so 


194  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

many  are  coarse  and  commonplace.  I  cannot  understand 
it,  but  I,  who  fear  and  care  for  no  one  except  my  father, 
almost  feared  him  when  under  Miss  Brown's  insolence  he 
looked  as  few  men  can.  What  a  jumble  the  world  is  ! 
He  sweeps  the  store,  while  insignificant  atoms  of  men 
are  conspicuous  in  their  littleness  by  reason  of  high  posi 
tion. 

"  It  was  very  kind  of  him  to  send  me  this  tasteful  gift 
after  the  miserable  experience  I  caused  him  the  other  day. 
I  suppose  he  does  it  on  the  principle  of  returning  good  for 
evil,  as  his  creed  teaches.  Moreover,  he  seems  grateful 
that  father  gave  him  employment,  and  a  chance  to  earn 
twice  what  he  receives.  He  certainly  must  be  promoted 
at  once. 

"Perhaps,"  thought  she,  smiling  to  herself,  while  a 
faint  tinge  of  color  came  into  her  cheeks, — "  perhaps,  like 
so  many  others,  he  may  be  inclined  to  be  a  little  sentimen 
tal  also,  though  he  will  never  be  as  silly  as  some  of  them. 

"  What  a  noble  part  he  acted  toward  those  Bruders  ! 
The  heart  of  a  pagan  could  not  fail  to  be  touched  by  that 
poor  little  fellow's  story,  and  it  has  made  me  believe  that 
I  have  more  heart  than  I  supposed.  Sometimes,  especially 
when  I  hear  or  read  of  some  such  noble  deed,  I  catch 
glimpses  of  a  life  infinitely  better  than  the  one  I  know, 
like  the  sun  shining  through  a  rift  in  the  clouds  ;  then  they 
shut  down  again,  and  father's  practical  wisdom  seems  the 
best  there  is. 

"  At  any  rate,"  she  said  aloud,  getting  up  and  walking 
the  floor  with  something  of  the  old  restless  energy,  "  I  in 
tend  to  live  while  I  live,  and  crowd  into  life's  brief  day 
all  that  I  can.  I  thank  Mr.  Fleet  for  a  few  sensations  in 
what  would  otherwise  have  been  a  monotonous,  dreary 
afternoon." 

'/What,  strawberries!"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  coming  in- 
"Where  did  you  get  these  ?  They  are  tke,  first  I  have 
seen." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  195 

"  Your  man-of- all- work  sent  them  to  me,"  said  Christine, 
daintily  dipping  one  after  another  in  sugar. 

"  Well,  that  is  a  good  joke." 

"  A  most  excellent  one,  which  I  am  enjoying,  and  in 
which  you  may  share.  Help  yourself. " 

"  And  what  has  led  him  to  this  extravagant  favor  ?" 

"  Consistency,  I  suppose.  As  a  good  Christian  he  would 
return  good  for  evil  ;  and  I  certainly  caused  him  manv 
and  varied  tortures  the  other  day." 

"  No,  he  is  grateful ;  from  first  to  last  the  callow  youth 
has  been  overwhelmed  with  gratitude  that  I  have  permitted 
him  to  be  worth  to  me  double  what  I  paid  him." 

"  Well,  you  have  decided  to  promote  him,  have  you 
not?" 

"  Yes,  he  shall  have  charge  of  the  hanging  of  new  pic 
tures,  and  the  general  arrangement  of  the  store,  so  as  to 
keep  up  your  tasteful  and  artistic  methods.    Moreover,  he  j 
shall  meet  customers  at  the  door,  and  direct  them  just  ' 
where  to  find  what  they  want.     He  is  fine-looking,  polite, 
speaks   English   perfectly,    and   thus  takes  well.      I  can 
gradually  work  him  in  as  general  salesman,  without  creat 
ing  troublesome  jealousies." 

"  What  will  old  Schwartz  say  ?" 

"  Schwartz  is  good  at  finance  and  figures.  I  can  trust 
him,  and  he  must  relieve  me  more  in  this  respect.  He  of 
caurse  knows  that  this  is  the  more  important  work,  and 
will  feel  honored.  As  to  the  others,  if  they  do  not  like  it 
I  can  find  plenty  who  will.  Fleet's  good  fortune  will  take 
him  quite  by  surprise.  He  was  performing  his  old  humble 
duties  as  briskly  and  contentedly  as  usual  to-day." 

"  I  am  surprised  at  that,  for  I  should  have  supposed  that 
he  would  have  been  on  his  dignity  somewhat,  indicating 
by  manner  at  least  that  the  time  for  a  change  had  come. 
He  can  indicate  a  great  deal  by  manner,  as  you  might  have 
learned  had  you  seen  him  under  Miss  Brown's  insults  and 
my  lack  of  courtesy.  Well,  it  does  me  good  to  find  one 


196  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

American  whose  head  is  not  turned  by  a  little  success. 
You  are  right  though,  I  think,  father  ;  that  young  fellow 
can  be  very  useful  to  you,  and  a  decided  help  in  hastening 
the  time  when  we  can  leave  this  shop  life,  and  enter  our 
true  sphere,  I  am  more  impatient  to  go  than  words  can 
express,  for  life  seems  so  brief  and  uncertain  that  we  must 
grasp  things  as  soon  as  possible  or  we  lose  them  forever. 
Heavens  !  what  a  scare  I  have  had  !  Everything  seemed 
slipping  from  under  my  feet  yesterday,  and  I  sinking  I 
know  not  where.  Surely  by  concentrating  every  energy 
we  can  be  ready  to  go  by  a  year  from  next  fall." 

"  Yes,  that  is  my  plan  now." 

On  the  following  day  Dennis  was  again  promoted  and 
his  pay  increased.  A  man  more  of  the  Pat  Murphy  type 
was  found  to  perform  the  coarse  work  of  the  store.  As 
Mr.  Ludolph  had  said,  Dennis  could  hardly  realize  his 
good  fortune.  He  felt  like  one  lifted  out  of  a  narrow 
valley  to  a  breezy  hillside.  He  was  now  given  a  vantage- 
point  from  which  it  seemed  that  he  could  climb  rapidly, 
and  his  heart  was  light  as  he  thought  of  what  he  would 
be  able  to  do  for  his  mother  and  sisters.  Hope  grew  san 
guine  as  he  saw  how  he  would  now  have  the  means  to 
pursue  his  beloved  art-studies  to  far  greater  advantage. 
But,  above  all,  his  promotion  brought  him  nearer  the  ob- 

Iject  of  his  all  absorbing  passion.  What  he  feared  would 
take  him  one  or  two  years  to  accomplish  he  had  gained  in 
a  day.  Hope  whispered  that  perhaps  it  was  through  her 
influence  in  some  degree  that  he  had  obtained  this  advance. 
Could  she  have  seen  and  read  his  ardent  glances  ?  Lovers' 
hopes  will  grow  like  Jonah's  gourd,  and  die  down  as 
quickly.  Words  could  not  express  his  longing  to  see  her 
again,  but  for  several  days  she  did  not  come  to  the  store. 
She  merely  sent  him  word  to  complete  the  unfinished  show 
room  in  accordance  with  the  plan  on  which  they  had  been 
working,  leaving  space  on  the  sides  of  the  room  oppo 
site  each  other  for  two  large  pictures.  Though  much 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  197 

disappointed,  Dennis    had    carefully  carried  out  her  bid 
ding. 

Every  evening  the  moment  his  duties  permitted  he 
sought  his  instructor,  Mr.  Bruder,  and,  with  an  eagerness 
that  his  friends  could  not  understand,  sought  to  educate 
hand  and  eye.  Dennis  judged  rightly  that  mere  business 
success  would  never  open  to  him  a  way  to  the  heart  of 
such  a  girl  as  Christine.  His  only  hope  of  winning  even 
her  attention  was  to  excel  in  the  world  of  art,  where  she 
hoped  to  shine  as  a  queen.  Then  to  his  untiring  industry 
and  eager  attention  he  added  real  genius  for  his  tasks,  and 
it  was  astonishing  what  progress  he  made.  When  at  the 
close  of  his  daily  lesson  Dennis  had  taken  his  departure, 
Mr.  Bruder  would  shake  his  head,  and  cast  up  his  eyes 
in  wonder,  and  exclaim:  "Dot  youth  vill  astonish  de 
vorld  yet.  Never  in  all  Germany  haf  I  seen  such  a 
scholar." 

Often  till  after  midnight  he  would  study  in  the  solitude 
of  his  own  little  room.  And  now,  relieved  of  duties  in 
the  early  morning,  he  arranged  an  old  easel  in  the  attic  of 
the  store,  a  sort  of  general  lumber-room,  yet  with  a  good 
light  for  his  purpose.  Here  he  secured  two  good  hours 
daily,  and  often  more,  for  painting  ;  and  his  hand  grew 
skilful,  and  his  eye  true,  under  his  earnest  efforts.  But 
his  intense  application  caused  his  body  to  grow  thin  and 
his  face  pale. 

Christine  had  rapidly  recovered  from  her  illness,  her 
vital  and  elastic  constitution  rebounding  back  into  health 
and  vigor  like  a  bow  rarely  bent.     She,  too,  was  working 
scarcely  less  eagerly  than  Dennis,   and  preparing  for  a 
triumph  which  she  hoped  would  be  the  earnest  of  the  fame 
she  meant  to  achieve.     She  no  longer  came  to  the  store 
with  her  father  in  the  morning,  but  spent  the  best  and, 
early  hours  of  the  day  in  painting,  riding  out  along  the  \ 
lake  and  in  the  park  in  the  afternoon.     Occasionally  she  j, 
came  to  the  store  in  the  after  part  of  the  day,  glanced 


198  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

sharply  round  to  see  that  her  tasteful  arrangement  was 
kept  up,  and  ever  seemed  satisfied. 

Dennis  was  usually  busy  with  customers  at  that  time, 
and,  though  conscious  of  her  presence  the  moment  she 
entered,  found  no  excuse  or  encouragement  to  approach. 
The  best  he  ever  received  from  her  was  a  slight  smile  and 
a  cold  bow  of  recognition,  and  in  her  haste  and  self -absorp 
tion  she  did  not  always  give  these.  She  evidently  had 
something  on  her  mind  by  which  it  was  completely  occu 
pied. 

"  She  does  not  even  think  of  me,"  sighed  Dennis  ;  "  she 
evidently  imagines  that  there  is  an  immeasurable  distance 
between  us  yet. ' ' 

He  was  right  ;  she  did  not  think  of  him,  and  scarcely 

[thought  of  any  one  else,  so  absorbed  was  she  in  the  hope 

,/  lof  a  great  success  that  now  was  almost  sure.     She  had 

isent  her  thanks  for  the  berries  by  her  father,  which  so 

'frightened  Dennis  that  he  had  ventured  on  no  more  such 

favors.     She  had  interceded  for  his   promotion.      Surely 

she  had  paid  her  debt,  and  was  at  quits.     So  she  would 

have  been  if  he  had  only  given  her  a  basket  of  strawberries, 

but  having  given  his  heart,  and  life-long  love,  he  could 

scarcely  be  expected  to  be  satisfied.     But  he  vowed  after 

each  blank  day  all  the  more  resolutely  that  he  would  win 

-    her  attention,  secure  recognition  of  his  equality,  and  so  be 

in  position  for  laying  siege  to  her  heart. 

But  a  deadly  blight  suddenly  came  over  all  his  hopes. 

One  bright  morning  late  in  May  two  large  flat  boxes 
were  brought  to  the  store.  Dennis  was  busy  with  cus 
tomers,  and  Mr.  Schwartz  said,  in  his  blunt,  decided  way, 
that  he  would  see  to  the  hanging  of  those  pictures.  They 
were  carried  to  the  show-room  in  the  rear  of  the  store,  and 
Dennis  at  once  concluded  that  they  were  something  very 
fine,  designed  to  fill  the  spaces  he  had  left,  and  was  most 
anxious  to  see  them.  Before  he  was  disengaged  they  were 
lifted  from  their  casing  and  were  standing  side  by  side  on 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  199 

the  floor,  opposite  the  entrance,  the  warm  rich  morning 
light  falling  upon  them  with  fine  effect.  Mr.  Schwartz 
seemed  unusually  excited  and  perplexed  for  him,  and 
stared  first  at.  one  picture,  then  at  the  other,  in  a  manner 
indicating  that  not  their  beauty,  but  some  other  cause  dis 
turbed  him. 

Dennis  had  scarcely  had  time,  to  exclaim  at  the  exquisite 
loveliness  and  finish  of  the  two  paintings  before  Mr.  Lu- 
dolph  entered,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Cornell,  a  well-known 
artist,  Mr.  French,  proprietor  of  another  large  picture- 
store,  and  several  gentlemen  of  taste,  but  of  lesser  note, 
whom  Dennis  had  learned  to  know  by  sight  as  habitues  of 
the  "Temple  of  Art."  He  also  saw  that  Christine  was 
advancing  up  the  store  with  a  lady  and  gentleman.  Feel 
ing  that  his  presence  might  be  regarded  as  obtrusive,  he 
passed  out,  and  was  about  to  go  away,  when  he  heard  his 
name  called. 

Looking  up  he  saw  Miss  Winthrop  holding  out  her  hand, 
and  in  a  moment  more  she  presented  him  to  her  father, 
who  greeted  him  cordially.  Christine  also  gave  him  a 
brief  smile,  and  said  :  "  You  need  not  go  away.  Come 
and  see  the  pictures." 

Quick-eyed  Dennis  observed  that  she  was  filled  with 
suppressed  excitement.  Her  cheeks,  usually  but  slightly 
tinged  with  pink,  now  by  turns  glowed  and  were  pale. 
Miss  Winthrop  seemed  to  share  her  nervousness,  though 
what  so  excited  them  he  could  not  divine.  The  paintings, 
beautiful  as  they  were,  could  scarcely  be  the  adequate 
cause  ;  and  yet  every  eye  was  fastened  on  them. 

One  seemed  the  exact  counterpart  of  the  other  in  frame 
and  finish  as  well  as  subject.  A.  little  in  the  background, 
upon  a  crag  overhanging  the  Rhine,  was  a  castle,  massive, 
frowning,  and  built  more  for  security  and  defence  than 
comfort.  The  surrounding  landscape  was  bold,  wild,  and 
even  gloomy.  But  in  contrast  with  these  rugged  and 
sterner  features,  was  a  scene  of  exquisite  softness  and  ten- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


derness.  Beneath  the  shadow  of  some  great  trees  not  far 
from  the  castle  gate,  a  young  crusader  was  taking  leave 
of  his  fair-haired  bride.  Her  pale,  tearful  face,  wherein 
love  and  grief  blent  indescribably,  would  move  "the  most 
callous  heart,  while  the  struggle  between  emotion  and  the 
manly  pride  that  would  not  permit  him  to  give  way,  in 
the  young  chieftain's  features,  was  scarcely  less  touching. 
Beautiful  as  were  the  accessories  of  the  pictures,  their  main 
point  was  to  portray  the  natural,  tender  feeling  induced 
by  a  parting  that  might  be  forever.  At  first  they  all  gazed 
quietly  and  almost  reverently  at  the  vivid  scene  of  human 
love  and  sorrow,  save  old  Schwartz,  who  fidgeted  about 
as  Dennis  had  never  seen  him  before.  Clearly  something 
was  wrong. 

"Mr.  Schwartz,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  "you  may  hang 
the  original  picture  on  the  side  as  we  enter,  and  the  copy 
opposite.  We  would  like  to  see  them  up,  and  in  a  better 
light." 

"  Dat's  it,"  snorted  Mr.  Schwartz  ;  "  I'd  like  to  know 
vich  is  vich.  '  ' 

"  You  do  not  mean  to  say  that  you  cannot  tell  them 
apart  ?  The  original  hung  here  some  time,  and  yow  saw 
it  every  day." 

"  I  do  mean  to  say  him,"  said  Mr.  Schwartz,  evidently 
much  vexed  with  himself.  "I  couldn't  have  believed  dat 
any  von  in  de  vorld  could  so  impose  on  me.  But  de  two 
pictures  are  just  de  same  to  a  pin  scratch  in  frame,  sub 
ject,  and  treatment,  and  to  save  my  life  I  cannot  tell  dem 
apart." 

Christine's  face  fairly  glowed  with  triumph,  and  her 
eyes  were  all  aflame  as  she  glanced  at  her  friend.  Miss 
Winthrop  came  and  took  her  cold,  quivering  hands  into 
her  own  warm  palms,  but  was  scarcely  less  excited.  Den 
nis  saw  not  this  side  scene,  so  intent  was  he  on  the  pictures. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say,"  said  Mr.  Cornell,  stepping  for 
ward,  "  that  one  of  these  paintings  is  a  copy  made  here  in 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  201 

Chicago,  and  that  Mr.  Schwartz  cannot  tell  it  from  the 
original  ?" 

"  He  says  he  cannot,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph. 

"And  I'd  like  to  see  the  von  who  can,"  said  old 
Schwartz,  gruffly. 

"  Will  you  please  point  out  the  original,"  said  one  of 
the  gentlemen,  "that  we  may'learn  to  distinguish  them  ? 
For  my  part  they  seem  like  the  twins  whose  mother  knew 
them  apart  by  pink  and  white  ribbons,  and  when  the  rib 
bons  got  mixed  she  could  not  tell  which  was  which." 

Again  Christine's  eyes  glowed  with  triumph. 

"  Well,  really,  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  "  I  would 
rather  you  would  discover  the  copy  yourselves.  Mr.  Cor 
nell,  Mr.  French,  and  some  others,  I  think,  saw  the  orig 
inal  several  times." 

"Look  at  Mr.  Fleet,"  whispered  Miss  Winthrop  to 
Christine. 

She  looked,  and  her  attention  was  riveted  to  him.  Step 
by  step,  he  had  drawn  nearer,  and  his  eyes  were  eagerly 
glancing  from  one  picture  to  the  other  as  if  following  up 
a  clue.  Instinctively  she  felt  that  he  would  solve  the  ques 
tion,  and  her  little  hands  clenched,  and  her  brow  grew  dark. 

"Really,"  said  Mr.  Cornell,  "  I  did  not  know  that  we 
had  an  artist  in  Chicago  who  could  copy  the  work  of  one 
of  the  best  European  painters  so  that  there  need  be  a 
moment's  hesitancy  in  detecting  differences,  but  it  seems 
I  am  mistaken.  I  am  almost  as  puzzled  as  Mr.  Schwartz. " 

"  The  frames  are  exactly  alike,"  said  Mr.  French. 

"  There  is  a  difference  between  the  two  pictures,"  said 
Mr.  Cornell,  slowly.  "  [  can  feel  it  rather  than  see  it. 
They  seem  alike,  line  for  line  and  feature  for  feature,  in 
every  part ;  and  just  where  the  difference  lies  and  in  what 
it  consists  I  cannot  tell  for  the  life  of  me." 

With  the  manner  of  one  who  had  settled  a  difficult  prob 
lem,  Dennis  gave  a  sigh  of  relief  so  audible  that  several 
glanced  at  him. 


202  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

' '  Perhaps  Mr.  Fleet  from  his  superior  knowledge  and 
long  experience  can  settle  this  question,"  said  Christine, 
sarcastically. 

All  eyes  were  turned  toward  him.  He  flushed  pain 
fully,  but  said  nothing. 

"Speak  up,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  good-naturedly,  "if 
you  have  any  opinion  to  give." 

"  I  would  not  presume  to  give  my  opinion  among  so 
many  more  competent  judges." 

"  Come,  Mr.  Fleet,"  said  Christine,  with  a  covert  taunt 
in  her  tone,  "  that  is  a  cheap  way  of  making  a  reputation. 
I  fear  the  impression  will  be  given  that  you  have  no 
opinion." 

Dennis  was  now  very  pale,  as  he  ever  was  under  great 
excitement.  The  old  look  came  again  that  the  young 
ladies  remembered  seeing  at  Miss  Brown's  entertainment. 

"Come,  speak  up  if  you  can,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph, 
shortly. 

"Your  porter,  Mr.  Ludolph?"  said  Mr.  Cornell,  re 
membering  Dennis  only  in  that  capacity.  "  Perhaps  lie 
has  some  private  marks  by  which  he  can  enlighten  us." 

Dennis  now  acted  no  longer  as  porter  or  clerk,  but  as  a 
man  among  men. 

Stepping  forward  and  looking  Mr.  Cornell  full  in  the 
face  he  said  :  "  I  can  prove  to  you,  sir,  that  your  insinua 
tion  is  false  by  simply  stating  that  I  never  saw  those  pic 
tures  before.  The  original  had  been  removed  from  the 
store  before  I  came.  I  have  had  therefore  no  opportunity 
of  knowing  the  copy  from  the  original.  But  the  pictures 
are  different,  and  I  can  tell  precisely  wherein  I  think  the 
difference  lies." 

"Tell  it  then,"  said  several  voices.  Christine  stood  a 
little  back  and  on  one  side,  so  that  he  could  not  see  her 
face,  or  he  would  have  hesitated  long  before  he  spoke. 
In  the  firm,  decided  tones  of  one  thoroughly  aroused  and 
sure  of  his  ground,  he  proceeded. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  203 

"  Suppose  this  the  copy,"  said  he,  stepping  to  one  of  the 
pictures.  (Christine  breathed  hard  and  leaned  heavily 
against  her  friend.)  "  I  know  of  but  one  in  Chicago  capa 
ble  of  such  exquisite  work,  and  he  did  not  do  it  ;  indeed 
he  could  not,  though  a  master  in  art." 

"  You  refer  to  Mr.  Bruder  ?"  said  Mr.  Cornell. 

Dennis  bowed  and  continued  :  "  It  is  the  work  of  one  in 
whom  the  imitative  power  is  wonderfully  developed  ;  but 
one  having  never  felt — or  unable  to  feel — the  emotions 
here  presented  cannot  portray  them.  This  picture  is  but 
the  beautiful  corpse  of  that  one.  While  line  for  line,  and 
feature  for  feature,  and  even  leaf  for  leaf  on  the  trees  is 
faithfully  exact,  yet  the  soul,  the  deep,  sorrowful  tender 
ness  that  you  feel  in  that  picture  rather  than  see,  is  want 
ing  in  this,  in  that  picture  you  forget  to  blame  or  praise, 
to  criticise  at  all,  so  deeply  are  your  sympathies  touched. 
It  seems  as  if  in  reality  two  human  hearts  were  being  torn 
asunder  before  you.  This  you  know  to  be  an  exquisite 
picture  only,  and  can  coolly  criticise  and  dwell  on  every 
part,  and  say  how  admirably  it  is  done." 

And  Dennis  bowed  and  retired. 

"By  Jove,  he  is  right,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Cornell;  and 
approving  faces  and  nodding  heads  confirmed  his  judg 
ment.  But  Dennis  enjoyed  not  his  triumph,  for  as  he 
turned  he  met  Christine's  look  of  agony  and  hate,  and  like 
lightning  it  flashed  through  his  mind,  "  She  painted  the 
picture." 


CHAPTER 

LIFE    WITHOUT   LOVE. 

As  Dennis  realized  the  truth,  and  remembered  what  he 
had  said,  his  face  was  scarcely  less  full  of  pain  than  Chris 
tine's.  He  saw  that  her  whole  soul  was  bent  on  an  imita- 


*/<xJ/r 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


tion  that  none  could  detect,  and  that  he  had  foiled  her  pur 
pose.  But  Christine's  wound  was  deeper  than  that.  She 
had  been  told  again,  clearly  and  correctly,  that  the  sphere 
of  high,  true  art  was  beyond  her  reach.  She  felt  that  the 
verdict  was  true,  and  her  own  judgment  confirmed  every 
word  Dennis  uttered.  But  she  had  done  her  best ;  there 
fore  her  suffering  was  truly  agony, — the  pain  and  despair 
at  failure  in  the  most  cherished  hope  of  life.  There  seemed 
a  barrier^which,  from  the  very  limitations  of  her  being, 
she  could  not  pass.  She  did  not  fail  from  the  lack  of  taste, 
culture,  or  skill,  but  in  that  which  was  like  a  sixth  sense, 
— something  she  did  not  possess.  LacJsirig  the  power  to 
touch  andjnov.G.. ike.. heart,  she Jknew ^lie_  couhTnever^be  a 
i'Teat  artist. 

Abruptly  and  without  a  word  she  left  the  room  and  store, 
accompanied  by  the  Winthrops.  Dennis  felt  as  if  he  could 
bite  his  tongue  out,  and  Christine's  face  haunted  him  like 
a  dreadful  apparition.  Wherever  he  turned  he  saw  it  so 
distorted  by  pain,  and  almost  hate,  that  it  scarcely  seemed 
the  same  that  had  smiled  on  him  as  he  entered  at  her  invi 
tation. 

"  Truly  God  is  against  all  this,"  groaned  he,  to  himself  ; 
"  and  what  I  in  my  weakness  could  not  do  He  has  accom 
plished  by  this  unlooked-for  scene.  She  will  now  ever 
regard  me  with  aversion. ' ' 

Dennis,  like  many  another,  thought  he  saw  God's  plan 
clearly  from  a  mere  glimpse  of  a  part  of  it.  lie  at  once 
reached  this  miserable  conclusion,  and  suffered  as  greatly 
as  if  it  had  been  God's  will,  instead  of  his  own  imagina 
tion.  To  wait  and  trust  is  often  the  latest  lesson  we  learn 
in  life. 

Mr.  Ludolph's  guests,  absorbed  in  the  pictures,  at  first 
scarcely  noticed  the  departure  of  the  others. 

Christine,  with  consummate  skill  and  care,  kept  her  rela 
tionship  to  the  picture  unknown  to  all  save  the  Winthrops, 
meaning  not  to  acknowledge  it  unless  she  succeeded.  But 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  205 

in  Dennis's  startled  and  pained  face  she  saw  that  he  had 
read  her  secret,  and  this  fact  also  annoyed  her  much. 

"  I  should  like  to  know  the  artist  who  copied  this  paint 
ing,"  said  Mr.  Cornell. 

' '  The  artist  is  an  amateur,  and  not  willing  to  come  before 
the  public  at  present/*'  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  so  decidedly 
that  no  further  questions  were  -asked. 

"  I  am  much  interested  in  that  young  clerk  of  yours," 
said  Mr.  French.  "  He  seems  to  understand  himself.  It 
is  so  hard  to  find  a  good  discriminating  judge  of  pictures. 
Do  you  expect  to  keep  him  ?" 

"Yes,  I  do,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  with  such  emphasis 
that  his  rival  in  trade  pressed  that  point  also  no  f ui  cher. 

"  Well,  really,  Mr.  Ludolph,"  said  one  of  the  gentlemen, 
"  you  deal  in  wonders,  mysteries,  and  all  sorts  of  astonish 
ing  things  here.  We  have  an  unknown  artist  in  Chicago 
deserving  an  ovation  ;  you  have  iu  your  employ  a  prince 
of  critics,  and  if  I  mistake  not  he  is  the  same  who  sang  at 
•Brown's  some  little  time  ago.  Miss  B.own  told  me  that 
he  was  your  porter." 

^  Yes,  I  took  him  as  a  stranger  out  of  work  and  knew 
nothing  of  him.  But  he  proved  to  be  an  educated  and 
accomplished  man,  who  will  doubtless  be  of  great  use  to 
me  in  time.  Of  course  I  promoted  him  when  I  found  him 
out.".  These  last  remarks  were  made  for  Mr.  French's 
benefit  ra,ther  than  for  any  one's  else.  He  intended  that 
his  rival  should  knowingly  violate  all  courtesy  if  he  sought 
to  lure  Dennis  away.  After  admiring  the  paintings  and 
other  things  recently  received,  the  gentlemen  bowed  them 
selves  out. 

On  leaving  the  store  Mr.  Winthrop — feeling  awkward 
in  the  presence  of  the  disappointed  girl — had  pleaded  busi 
ness,  and  bidden  her  adieu  with  a  warm  grasp  of  the  hand 
and  many  assurances  that  she  had  succeeded  beyond  his 
belief. 
.  "  I  know  you  mean  kindly  in  what  you  say,"  said  Chris- 


206  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

tine,  while  not  the  slightest  gleam  lighted  up  her  pale,  sad 
face.  "Good-by." 

She,  too,  was  relieved,  and  wished  to  be  alone.  Miss 
Winthrop  sought  to  comfort  her  friend  as  they  walked 
homeward. 

"  Christine,  you  look  really  ill.  I  don't  see  why  you 
take  this  matter  so  to  heart.  You  have  achieved  a  success 
that  would  turn  any  head  but  yours.  I  could  net  believe 
it  possible  had  I  not  seen  it.  Your  ambition  and  ideal  are 
so  lofty  that  you  will  always  make  yourself  miserable  by 
aiming  at  the  impossible.  As  Mr.  Fleet  said,  I  do  not  be 
lieve  there  is  another  in  the  city  who  could  have  done  so 
well,  and  if  you  can  do  that  now,  what  may  you  not 
accomplish  by  a  few  years  more  of  work  ?" 

"  That's  the  terrible  part  of  it,"  said  Christine,  with  a 
long  sigh.  "Susie,  I  have  attained  my  growth.  I  can 
never  be  a  real  artist,  and  no  one  living  can  ever  know  the 
bitterness  of  my  disappointment.  I  do  not  believe  in  the 
I  immortality  that  you  do,  and  this  was  my  only  chance  to 
-live  beyond  the  brief  hour  of  my  life.  If  I  could  only 
",have  won  for  myself  a  place  among  the  great  names  that 
the  world  will  ever  honor,  I  might  with  more  content  let 
the  candle  of  my  existence  flicker  out  when  it  must.  But 
I  have  learned  to-day  what  I  have  often  feared, — that 
Christine  Ludolph  must  soon  end  in  a  forgotten  handful 
^>f  dust." 

"  O  Christine,  if  you  could  only  believe  !" 

"  I  cannot.  I  tried  in  my  last  sickness,  but  vainly.  I 
am  more  convinced  than  ever  of  the  correctness  of  my 
father's  views." 

Miss  Winthrop  sighed  deeply.  "  Why  are  you  so  de 
spondent  ?"  she  at  last  asked. 

As  if  half  speaking  to  herself,  Christine  repeated  the 
words,  "  '  Painted  by  one  having  never  felt,  or  unable  to 
feel,  the  emotions  presented,  and  therefore  one  who  cannot 
portray  them.'  That  is  just  the  trouble.  I  tried  to  speak 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  207 

in  a  language  I  do  not  know.  Susie,  I  believe  I  am  about 
half  ice.  Sometimes  I  think  I  am  like  Undine,  and  have 
no  soul.  I  know  I  have  no  heart,  in  the  sense  that  you 
have. 

"  I  live  a  very  cold  sort  of  life,"  she  continued,  with  a 
slight  shudder.  "  I  seem  surrounded  by  invisible  barriers 
that  I  cannot  pass.  I  can  see,  beyond,  what  I  want,  but 
cannot  reach  it.  O  Susie,  ij?;/you  knew  what  I  suffered 
when  so  ill  !  Everything  seeMed  slipping  from  me.  And 
yet  why  I  should  so  wish  to  $re  I  hardly  know,  when  my 
life  is  so  narrowed  down." 

"  You  see  the  disease,  but  noifthe  remedy,"  sighed  Susie. 
"  What  is  the  remedy  ?" 

"  Love.  Love  to  God,  and  I  may  add  love  for  some  good 
man." 

Christine  stopped  a  moment  and  almost  stamped  her  foot 
impatiently. 

"  You  disc.ourage  me  more  than  any  one  else,"  she  cried. 
"  As  to  loving  God,  how  can  I  love  merely  a  name  ?  and, 
even  if  He  existed,  how  could  I  love  a  Being  who  left  His 
world  so  full  of  vile  evils  ?  As  to  human  love,  faugh  ! 
I  have  had  enough  of  romantic  attachments." 
"  Do  you  never  intend  to  marry  ?" 

"  Susie,  you  are  the  friend  of  my  soul,  and  I  trust  you 
and  you  only  with  our  secret.  Yes,  I  expect  to  marry, 
but  not  in  this  land.  You  know  that  in  Germany  my 
father  will  eventually  be  a  noble,  the  representative  of  one 
of  the  most  ancient  and  honorable  families.  We  shall  soon 
have  sufficient  wealth  to  resume  our  true  position  there. 
A  husband  will  then  be  found  for  me.  I  only  stipulate 
that  he  shall  be  able  to  give  me  position  among  the  first, 
and  gratify  my  bent  for  art  to  the  utmost." 

"  Well.  Christine,  you  are  a  strange  girl,  and  your  dream 
of  the  future  is  stranger  still." 

"  Sometimes  I  think  that  all  is  a  dream,  and  may  end 
like  one.  Nothing  seems  certain  or  real,  or  turns  out  as 


208  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

one  expects.  Think  of  it.  A  nobody  who  swept  my 
father's  store  the  other  day  has  this  morning  made  such 
havoc  in  my  dream  that  I  am  sick  at  heart." 

"But  you  cannot  blame  Mr.  Fleet.  He  did  it  uncon 
sciously  ;  he  was  goaded  on  to  it.  No  man  could  have 
done  otherwise.  You  surely  do  not  feel  hardly  toward 
him?" 

"  We  do  not  naturally  love  the  lips  and  bless  the  voice 
that  tell  us  of  an  incurable  disease.  Oh,  no,"  she  added, 
"  why  should  I  think  of  him  at  all  ?  He  merely  happened 
(to  point  out  what  I  half  suspected  myself.  And  yet  the 
'.peculiar  way  this  stranger  crosses  my  path  from  time  to 
time  almost  makes  me  superstitious." 

"  And  you  seem  to  have  peculiar  power  over  him.  He 
would  have  assuredly  left  us  in  the  lurch  at  our  tableau 
party  had  it  not  been  for  you,  and  I  should  not  have 
blamed  him.  And  to-day  he  seemed  troubled  and  pained 
beyond  expression  when  he  read  from  your  face,  as  I 
imagine,  that  you  were  the  author  of  the  picture." 

"  Yes,  I  saw  that  he  discovered  the  fact,  and  this  pro 
vokes  me  also.  If  he  should  speak  his  thoughts — " 

"  I  do  not  think  he  will.  I  am  sure  he  will  not  if  you 
caution  him. " 

"  That  I  will  not  do  ;  and  I  think  on  the  whole  he  has 
too  much  sense  to  speak  carelessly  of  what  he  imagined  he 
saw  in  a  lady's  face.  And  now,  Susie,  good-by.  I  shall 
not  inflict  my  miserable  self  longer  upon  you  to-day,  and 
I  am  one  who  can  best  cure  my  wounds  in  solitude. ' ' 

"Do  you  cure  them,  Christine?  or  do  you  only  cover 

|  them  up  ?    If  I  had  your  creed  nothing  could  cure  my 

\  wounds.     Time  might  deaden  tlie  'pain,  and  I  forget  them 

in  other  things,  but  I  do  not  see  where  any  cure  could 

!  come  from.     O  Christine  !  you  did  me  good  service  when 

in  the  deepening  twilight  of  Miss  Brown's  parlor  you 

showed  me  my  useless,  unbelieving  life.     But  I  do  believe 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  209 

now.  The_jQross  is  radiant  to  jne  now, — more  radiant  than 
throne  that  so  startled  us  then.  Mr.  Fleet's  words  were 
true,  I  know,  as  I  know  my  own  existence.  I  could  die 
for  my  faith.5' 

Christine  frowned  and  said,  almost  harshly  :  "  I  don't 
believe  in  a  religion  so  full  of  crosses  and  death.  Why 
could  not  the  all-powerful  Being  you  believe  in  take  away 
the  evil  from  the  world  ?" 

L  jusi_what_He  came  to  do.  In  that  very  char- 
as  pointed  out  by  His  authorized  forerunner  : 
'JBehold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world.'  " 

"  Why  does  He  not  do  it  then  ?"  asked  Christine,  petu 
lantly.  ' '  Centuries  have  passed.  Patience  itself  is  wearied 
out.  He  has  had  time  enough,  if  He  ever  meanb  or  had 
the  power  to  fulfil  the  promise.  But  the  world  is  as  full 
of  evil  and  suffering  as  ever.  Susie,  I  would  not  disturb 
your  credulous  faith,  for  it  seems  to  do  you  good  ;  but  to  me 
Christ  was  a  noble  but  mistaken  man,  dead  and  buried 
centuries  ago.  He  can  do  for  me  no  more  than  Socrates. 
They  vigorously  attacked  evil  in  their  day,  but  evil  was 
too  much  for  them,  as  it  is  for  us.  We  must  just  get  the 
most  we  can  out  of  life,  and  endure  what  we  cannot  pre 
vent  or  escape.  An  angel  could  not  convert  me  to-day, — 
no,  not  even  Susie  Winthrop,  and  that  is  saying  more 
still  ;"  and  with  a  hasty  kiss  she  vanished. 

Susie  looked  wistfully  after  her,  and  then  bent  her  steps 
homeward  with  a  pitying  face. 

Christine  at  once  went  to  her  own  private  room.  Putting 
on  a  loose  wrapper  she  threw  herself  on  a  lounge,  and 
buried  her  face  in  the  cushions.  Her  life  seemed  growing 
narrow  and  meagre.  Hour  after  hour  passed,  and  the' late 
afternoon  sun  was  shining  into  her  rooni  when  she  arose 
from  her  bitter  revery,  and  summed  up  all  in  a  few  words 
spoken  aloud,  as  was  her  custom  when  alone. 

"  Must  I,  after  all,  come  down  to  the  Epicurean  philoso- 


210  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

,phy,  '  Let  us  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry,  for  to-morrow  we 
die  '  ?  I  seem  on  a  narrow  island,  the  ocean  is  ail  around 
^  \me,  and  the  tide  is  rising,  rising.  It  will  cover  soon  my 
standing-place,  and  then  what  becomes  of  Christine  Lu- 
lolph?" 

A  look  of  anguish  came  into  the  fair  young  face,  and  a 
slight  shudder  passed  over  her.  She  glanced  around  a 
room  furnished  in  costly  elegance.  She  saw  her  lovely 
person  in  the  mirror  opposite,  and  exclaimed  :  "  What  a 
mystery  it  all  is  !  I  have  so  much,  and  yet  so  utterly  fail 
jof  having  that  which  contents.  I  have  all  that  wealth  can 
'  purchase  ;  and  multitudes  act  as  if  that  were  enough  I 
know  I  am  beautiful.  I  can  see  that  yonder  for  myself,  as 
well  as  read  it  in  admiring  eyes.  Ajid_jret  my  maid  is 
better  contented  than  I,  and  the  boy  who  blacks  the  boots 
better  satisfied  with  his  lot  than  either  of  us.  I  am  raised 
so  high  that  I  can  see  how  much  more  there  5s  or  might  be 
beyond.  I  feel  like  one  led  into  a  splendid  vestibule,  only 
L,o  find  that  the  palace  is  wanting,  or  that  it  is  a  mean 
novel.  All  that  I  have  only  mocks  me,  and  becomes  a 
means  of  torture.  All  that  I  am  and  have  ought  to  be, 
might  be,  a  mere  prelude,  an  earnest  and  a  preparation  for 
something  better  beyond.  But  I  am  told,  and  must  be 
lieve,  that  this  is  all,  and  I  may  lose  this  in  a  moment  and 
forever.  It  is  as  if  a  noble  strain  of  music  commenced 
sweetly,  and  then  suddenly  broke  down  into  a  few  dis 
cordant  notes  and  ceased.  It  is  like  my  picture,— all  very 
well  ;  but  that  which  would  speak  to  and  move  the  heart, 
year  after  year,  when  the  mere  beauty  ceased  to  please, — 
that  life  or  something  is  wanting.  What  were  his  words  ? 
— '  This  picture  is  but  the  beautiful  corpse  of  the  other  ; ' 
and  my  life  is  but  a  cold  marble  effigy  of  a  true  life.  And 
yet  is  there  any  true  and  better  life  ?  If  there  is  nothing 
better  beyond,  I  have  been  carried  forward  too  far.  Miss 
Brown  thoroughly  enjoys  champagne  and  flirtations.  Susie 
Winthrop  is  happy  in  her  superstition,  as  any  one  might 


BARRIERS  BURNED   AWAY.  211 

be  who  could  believe  what  she  does.  But  I  have  gone 
past  the  power  of  taking  up  these  things,  as  I  have  gone 
past  my  childhood's  sports.  And  now  what  is  there  for 
me  ?  My  most  dear  and  cherished  hope— a  hope  that  shone 
above  my  life  like  a  sun— has  been  blown  away  by  the 
breath  of  my  father's  clerk  (it  required  no  greater  power 
to  bring  me  down  to  my  true  level),  and  I  hoped  to  be  a 
queen  among  men,  high-born,  but  crowned  with  the  richer 
coronet  of  genius.  I,  who  hoped  to  win  so  high  a  place 
that  men  would  speak  of  me  with  honest  praise,  now  and 
in  all  future  time,  must  be  contented  as  a  mere  accomplished 
woman,  deemed  worthy  perhaps  in  time  to  grace  some 
nobleman's  halls  who  in  the  nice  social  scale  abroad  may 
stand  a  little  higher  than  myself.  I  meant  to  shine  and 
dazzle,  to  stoop  to  give  in  every  case  ;  but  now  I  must 
take  what  I  can  get,  with  a  humble  '  Thank  you  ;'  "  and 
she  clenched  her  little  powerless  hands  in  impotent  revolt 
at  what  seemed  very  cruel  destiny. 

She  appeared  at  the  dinner-table  outwardly  calm  and 
quiet.  Her  father  did  not  share  in  her  bitter  disappoint 
ment,  and  she  saw  that  he  did  not,  and  so  felt  more  alone. 
He  regarded  her  success  as  remarkable  (as  it  truly  was), 
having  never  believed  that  she  could  copy  a  picture  so 
exactly  as  to  deceive  an  ordinary  good  observer.  When, 
therefore,  old  Schwartz  and  oLhers  were  unable  to  distin 
guish  between  the  pictures,  he  was  more  than  satisfied. 
He  was  sorry  that  Dennis  had  spoiled  the  triumph,  but 
could  not  blame  him.  At  the  same  time  he  recognized  in 
Fleet  another  and  most  decided  proof  of  intelligence  on 
questions  of  art,  for  he  knew  that  his  criticism  was  just. 
He  believed  that  when  the  true  knight  that  his  ambition 
would  choose  appeared,  with  golden  spurs  and  jewelled 
crest,  then  her  deeper  nature  would  awaken,  and  she  far 
surpass  all  previous  effort.  Moreover,  he  did  not  fully 
understand  or  enter  into  her  lofty  ambition.  To  see  her 
settled  in  life,  titled,  rich,  and  a  recognized  leader  in  the 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

aristocracy  of  his  own  land,  was  his  highest  aspiration  so 
far  as  she  was  concerned. 

He  began,  therefore,  in  a  strain  of  compliment  to  cheer 
his  daughter  and  rally  her  courage  ;  but  she  shook  her 
head  sadly,  and  said  so  decidedly,  "  Father,  let  us  change 
the  subject,"  that  vritli  some  surprise  at  her  feelings  he 
yielded  to  her  wish,  thinking  that  a  little  time  and  experi 
ence  would  moderate  her  ideas  and  banish  the  pain  of  dis 
appointment.  It  was  a  quiet  meal,  both  being  occupied 
by  their  own  thoughts.  Soon  after  he  was  absorbed  for 
the  evening  by  his  cigar  and  some  business  papers. 

It  was  a  mild,  summer-like  night,  and  a  warm,  gentle 
rain  was  falling.  Even  in  the  midst  of  a  great  city  the 
sweet  odors  of  spring  found  their  way  to  the  private  parlor 
where  Christine  sat  by  the  window,  still  lost  in  painful 
thoughts. 

"  Nature  is  full  of  hope,  and  the  promise  of  coming  life. 

SSo  ought  I  to  be  in  this  my  spring-time.  Why  am  I  not  ? 
If  I  am  sad  and  disappointed  in  my  spring,  how  dreary 
will  be  my  autumn,  when  leaf  after  leaf  of  beauty,  health, 
and  strength  drops  away  !" 

A  muffled  figure,  seemingly  regardless  of  the  rain,  passed 
slowly  down  the  opposite  side  of  the  street.  Though  the 
person  cast  but  a  single  quick  glance  toward  her  window, 
and  though  the  twilight  was  deepening,  something  in  the 
passer-by  suggested  Dennis  Fleet.  For  a  moment  she 
wished  she  could  speak  to  him.  She  felt  very  lonely. 
Solitude  had  done  her  no  good.  Her  troubles  only  grew 
darker  and  more  real  as  she  brooded  over  them.  She  in 
stinctively  felt  that  her  father  could  not  understand  her, 
and  she  had  never  been  able  to  go  to  him  for  sympathy. 
He  was  not  the  kind  of  person  that  any  one  would  seek  for 
such  a  purpose.  Christine  was  not  inclined  to  confidence, 
and  there  was  really  no  one  who  knew  her  deeper  feelings, 
and  who  could  enter  into  her  real  hopes  for  life.  She  was 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY  213 

so  proud  and  cold  that  few  ever  thought  of  giving  her 
cpnfideDce,  much  less  of  asking  hers. 

Up  to  the  time  of  her  recent  illness  she  had  been  strong, 
self-confident,  almost  assured  of  success.  At  times  she 
recognized  dimly  that  something  was  wrong  ;  but  she  shut 
her  eyes  to  the  unwelcome  truth,  and  determined  to  suc 
ceed.  But  her  sickness  and  fears  at  that  time,  and  now  a 
failure  that  seemed  to  destroy  the  ambition  of  her  life,  all 
united  in  greatly  shaking  her  self-confidence. 

This  evening,  as  never  before,  she  was  conscious  of  weak 
ness  and  dependence.  With  the  instinct  of  one  sinking, 
her  spirit  longed  for  help  and  support.  Then  the  thought 
suddenly  occurred  to  her,  "Perhaps  this  young  stranger, 
who  so  clearly  pointed  out  the  disease,  may  also  show  the 
way  to  some  remedy. ' ' 

But  the  figure  had  passed  on.  In  a  moment  mere  pride 
and  conventionality  resumed  sway,  and  she  smiled  bitterly, 
saying  to  herself,  "  What  a  weak  fool  I  am  to-night !  Of 
all  things  let  me  not  become  a  romantic  miss  again." 

She  went  to  her  piano  and  struck  into  a  brilliant  strain. 
For  a  few  moments  the  music  was  of  a  forced  and  defiant 
character,  loud,  gay,  but  with  no  real  or  rollicking  mirth 
in  it,  and  it  soon  ceased.  Then  in  sharp  contrast  came  a 
sad,  weird  German  ballad,  and  this  was  real.  In  its  pathos 
her  burdened  heart  found  expression,  and  whoever  listened 
then  wrould  not  merely  have  admired,  but  would  have  felt. 
One  song  followed  another.  All  the  pent-up  feeling  of  the 
day  seemed  to  find  natural  flow  in  the  plaintive  minstrelsy 
of  her  own  land. 

Suddenly  she  ceased  and  went  to  her  window.  The 
muffled  figure  stood  in  the  shadow  of  an  angle  in  the  atti 
tude  of  a  listener.  A  moment  later  it  vanished  in  the  dusk 
toward  the  business  part  of  the  city.  The  quick  footsteps 
died  away,  and  only  the  patter  of  the  falling  rain  broke 
the  silence.  Christine  felt  sure  that  it  was  Dennis.  At 
first  her  feeling  was  one  of  pleasure.  His  coming  and  evi- 


214  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.      . 

dent  interest  took  somewhat,  she  scarcely  knew  why,  from 
her  sense  of  loneliness.  Soon  her  pride  awoke,  however, 
and  she  said  :  "He  has  no  business  here  to  watch  and 
listen.  I  will  show  him  that,  with  all  his  taste  and  intelli 
gence,  we  have  no  ground  in  common  on  which  he  can 
presume. ' ' 

Her  father  had  also  listened  to  the  music,  and  said  lo 
himself  :  "  Christine  is  growing  a  little  sentimental.  She 
takes  this  disappointment  too  much  to  heart.  I  must  touch 
her  pride  with  the  spur  a  little,  and  that  will  make  her  ice 
and  steel  in  a  moment.  It  is  no  slight  task  to  keep  a  girl's 
heart  safe  till  you  want  to  use  it.  I  will  wait  till  the  prac 
tical  daylight  of  to-morrow,  and  then  she  shall  look  at  the 
world  through  my  eyes  again." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

DENNIS'S  LOVE  PUT  TO  PRACTICAL  USE. 

THE  day  following  his  unlucky  criticism  of  the  pictures 
was  one  of  great  despondency  to  Dennis.  He  had  read  in 
Christine's  face  that  he  had  wounded  her  sorely  ;  and, 
though  she  knew  it  to  be  unintentional,  would  it  not  prej 
udice  her  mind  against  him,  and  snap  the  slender  thread 
by  which  he  hoped  to  draw  across  the  gulf  between  them 
the  cord,  and  then  the  cable,  that  might  in  time  unite  their 
lives  ? 

In  the  evening  his  restless,  troubled  spirit  drove  him,  in 
spite  of  the  rain,  to  seek  to  be  at  least  nearer  to  her.  He 
felt  sure  that  in  the  dusk  and  wrapped  in  his  greatcoat  he 
would  not  be  noticed,  but  was  mistaken ,  as  we  have  seen.  He 
was  rewarded,  for  he  heard  her  sing  as  never  before,  as  he 
did  not.  believe  she  could  sing.  For  the  first  time  her  rich, 
thoroughly  trained  voice  had  the  sweetness  and  power  of 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  215 

feeling.  To  Dennis  her  song  seemed  like  an  appeal,  a  cry 
for  help,  and  his  heart  responded  in  the  deepest  sympathy. 
As  he  walked  homeward  he  said  to  himself  :  "  She  could 
be  a  true  artist,  perhaps  a  great  one,  for  she  can  feel.  She 
has  a  heart.  She  has  a  taste  and  skill  in  touch  that  few 
can  surpass.  I  can  scarcely  believe  the  beautiful  coloring 
and  faultless  lines  of  that  picture  are  her  work." 

He  longed  for  a  chance  to  speak  with  her  and  explain. 
He  felt  that  he  had  so  much  to  say,  and  in  a  thousand 
imaginary  ways  introduced  the  subject  of  her  painting. 
He  hoped  he  might  find  her  sketching  in  some  of  the  rooms 
again.  He  thought  that  he  knew  her  better  for  having 
heard  her  sing,  and  that  he  could  speak  to  her  quite 
frankly. 

The  next  day  she  came  to  the  store,  but  passed  him  with 
out  the  slightest  notice.  He  hoped  she  had  not  seen  him, 
and,  as  she  passed  out,  so  placed  himself  that  she  must  see 
him,  and  secured  for  his  pains  only  a  slight,  cold  inclina 
tion  of  the  head. 

"It  is  as  I  feared,"  he  said,  bitterly.  "She  detests  me 
for  having  spoiled  her  triumph.  She  is  not  just,"  he 
added,  angrily.  "  She  has  no  sense  of  justice,  or  she  would 
not  blame  me.  What  a  mean-spirited  craven  I  should  have 
been  had  I  shrunk  away  under  her  taunts  yesterday.  Well, 
I  can  be  proud  too." 

When  she  came  in  again  he  did  not  raise  his  eyes,  and 
when  she  passed  out  he  was  in  a  distant  part  of  the  store. 
Christine  saw  no  tall  muffled  figure  under  her  window 
again,  though  she  had  the  curiosity  to  look.  That  even 
this  humble  admirer,  for  whom  she  cared  not  a  jot,  should 
show  such  independence  rather  nettled  and  annoyed  her 
for  a  moment.  But  she  paid  no  more  heed  to  him  than  to 
the  other  clerks. 

But  what  was  the  merest  jar  to  Christine's  vanity  cost 
Dennis  a  desperate  struggle.  It  required  no  effort  on  her 
part  to  pass  him  by  without  a  glance.  To  him  it  was  tor- 


216  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

ture.  In  a  few  days  she  ceased  to  think  about  him  at  all, 
and  only  remembered  him  in  connection  with  her  disap 
pointment.  But  she  was  restless,  could  settle  down  to  no 
work,  and  had  lost  her  zest  in  her  old  pleasures.  She  tried 
to  act  as  usual,  for  she  saw  her  father's  eye  was  on  her. 
He  had  not  much  indulgence  for  any  one's  weaknesses 
save  his  own,  and  often  by  a  little  cold  satire  would  sting 
her  to  the  very  quick.  On  the  other  hand  his  admiration, 
openly  expressed  in  a  certain  courtly  gallantry,  nourished 
her  pride  but  not  her  heart.  Though  she  tried  to  keep  up 
her  usual  routine  her  manner  was  forced  before  him  and 
languid  when  alone.  But  he  said,  "  All  this  will  pass 
away  like  a  cold  snap  in  spring,  and  the  old  zest  will  come 
again  in  a  few  days. ' ' 

It  did,  but  from  a  cause  which  he  could  not  understand, 
and  which  his  daughter  with  consummate  skill  and  care 
concealed.  He  thought  it  was  only  the  old  enthusiasm 
rallying  after  a  sharp  frost  of  disappointment. 

Dennis's  pride  gave  way  before  her  cool  and  unstudied 
indifference.  It  was  clearly  evident  to  him  that  he  had  no 
hold  upon  her  life  whatever,  and  how  to  gain  any  he  did 
not  see.  He  became  more  and  more  dejected. 

"  She  must  have  a  heart,  or  I  could  not  love  her  so  ; 
but  it  is  so  incased  in  ice  I  fear  I  can  never  reach  it." 

That  something  was  wrong  with  Dennis  any  friend  who 
cared  for  him  at  all  might  see.  The  Bruders  did,  and, 
with  the  quick  intuitions  of  woman,  Mrs.  Bruder  half 
guessed  the  cause.  Mr.  Bruder,  seeing  preoccupation  and 
sometimes  weary  apathy  in  Dennis's  face,  would  say, 
"  Mr.  Fleet  is  not  well." 

Then,  as  even  this  slight  notice  of  his  different  appear 
ance  seemed  to  give  pain,  Mr.  Bruder  was  patiently  and 
kindly  blind  to  his  pupil's  inattention. 

Dennis  faithfully  kept  up  all  his  duties  on  Sunday  as 
during  the  week  ;  but  all  was  now  hard  work.  Some 
little  time  after  the  unlucky  morning  which  he  could  never 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  217 

think  of  without  an  expression  of  pain,  he  went  to  his  mis 
sion  class  as  usual.  He  heard  his  boys  recite  their  lessons, 
said  a  few  poor  lame  words  in  explanation,  and  then  leaned 
his  head  listlessly  and  wearily  on  his  hand.  He  was 
startled  by  hearing  a  sweet  voice  say,  "  Well,  Mr.  Fleet, 
are  you  not  going  to  welcome  a  new  laborer  into  your 
corner  of  the  vineyard  ?" 

With  a  deep  flush  he  saw  that  Miss  Winthrop  was  in 
charge  of  the  class  next  to  him,  and  that  he  had  been 
oblivious  to  her  presence  nearly  an  hour.  He  tried  to 
apologize.  But  she  interrupted  him,  saying  :  "  Mr.  Fleet, 
you  are  Dot  well.  Any  one  can  see  that. " 

Then  Dennis  blushed  as  if  he  had  a  raging  fever,  and 
she  was  perplexed. 

The  closing  exercises  of  the  school  now  occupied  them, 
and  then  they  walked  out  together. 

"  Mr.  Fleet,"  she  said,  "  you  never  accepted  my  invita 
tion.  We  have  not  seen  you  at  our  house.  But  perhaps 
your  circle  of  friends  is  so  large  that  you  do  not  wish  to 
add  to  it." 

Dennis  could  not  forbear  a  smile  at  the  suggestion,  but 
he  said,  in  apology,  "  I  do  not  visit  any  one,  save  a  gentle 
man  from  whom  I  am  taking  lessons." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  have  no  friends  at  all  in 
this  great  city  ?" 

"  Well,  I  suppose  that  is  nearly  the  truth  ;  that  is,  in  the 
sense  you  use  the  term.  My  teacher  and  his  wife—" 

"  Nonsense  !  I  mean  friends  of  one's  own  age,  people 
of  the  same  culture  and  status  as  yourself.  I  think  we 
require  such  society,  as  truly  as  we  need  food  and  air.  I 
did  not  mean  those  whom  business  or  duty  brought  you 
in  contact  with,  or  who  are  friendly  or  grateful  as  a  matter, 
of  course." 

"I  have  made  no  progress  since  my  introduction  to 
society  at  Miss  Brown's,"  said  Dennis. 


218  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  But  you  had  the  sincere  and  cordial  offer  of  introduc 
tion,"  said  Miss  Winthrop,  looking  a  little  hurt. 

"  I  feel  hardly  fit  for  society,"  said  Dennis,  all  out  of 
sorts  with  himself.  "  It  seems  that  I  can  only  blunder  and 
give  pain.  But  I  am  indeed  grateful  for  your  kindness." 

Miss  Winthrop  looked  into  his  worn,  pale  face,  and  in 
stinctively  knew  that  something  was  wrong,  and  she  felt 
real  sympathy  for  the  lonely  young  man,  isolated  among 
thousands.  She  said,  gently  but  decidedly  :  "  I  did  mean 
my  invitation  kindly,  and  I  truly  wished  you  to  come. 
The  only  proof  you  can  give  that  you  appreciate  my 
courtesy  is  to  accept  an  invitation  for  to-morrow  evening. 
I  intend  having  a  little  musical  entertainment." 

Quick  as  light  flashed  the  thought,  "  Christine  will  be 
there."  He  said,  promptly  :  "  I  will  come,  and  thank  you 
for  the  invitation.  If  I  am  awkward,  you  must  remember 
that  I  have  never  mingled  in  Chicago  society,  and  for  a 
long  time  not  in  any." 

She  smiled  merrily  at  him,  and  said,  "  Don't  do  any 
thing  dreadful,  Mr.  Fleet." 

He  caught  her  mood,  and  asked  what  had  brought  her 
down  from  her  theological  peak  to  such  a  valley  of  humili 
ation  as  a  mission  school. 

"You  and  Miss  Ludolph,"  she  answered,  seriously. 
' '  Between  you,  you  gave  me  such  a  lesson  that  afternoon 
at  Miss  Brown's  that  I  have  led  a  different  life  ever  since. 
Christine  made  all  as  dark  as  despair,  and  against  that 
darkness  you  placed  the  fiery  Cross.  I  have  tried  to  cling 
to  the  true  cross  ever  since.  Now  He  could  not  say  to  me, 
'  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not.'  And  oh  !"  said  she,  turning 
to  Dennis  writh  a  smile  full  of  the  light  of  heaven,  "  His 
service  is  so  very  sweet !  I  heard  last  week  that  teachers 
were  wanted  at  this  mission  school,  so  I  came,  and  am  glad 
to  find  you  a  neighbor." 

Dennis's  face  also  kindled  at  her  enthusiasm,  but  after  a 
moment  grew  sad  again. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  I  do  not  always  give  so  lifeless  a  lesson  as  to-day,"  he 
said,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Mr.  Fleet,  you  are  not  well.  I  can  see  that  you  look 
worn  and  greatly  wearied.  Are  you  not  in  some  way 
overtaxing  yourself  ?" 

Again  that  sensitive  flush,  but  he  only  said  :  "  I  assure 
you  I  am  well.  Perhaps  I  have  worked  a  little  hard. 
That  is  all." 

"  Well,  then,  come  to  our  house  and  play  a  little  to-mor 
row  evening,"  she  answered  from  the  platform  of  a  street 
car,  and  was  borne  away. 

Dennis  went  to  his  lonely  room,  full  of  self-reproach. 

"  Does  she  find  Christ's  service  so  sweet,  and  do  I  find 
it  so  dull  and  hard  ?  Does  human  love  alone  constrain  me, 
and  not  the  love  of  Christ  ?  Truly  I  am  growing  weak. 
Every  one  says  I  look  ill.  I  think  I  am,  in  body  and  soul, 
and  am  ceasing  to  be  a  man  ;  but  with  God's  help  I  will 
be  one,  —and  what  is  more,  a  Christian.  I  thank  you,  Miss 
Winthrop  ;  you  have  helped  me  more  than  I  have  helped 
you.  I  will  accept  your  invitation  to  go  out  into  the 
world.  I  will  no  longer  mope,  brood,  and  perish  in  the 
damp  and  shade  of  my  own  sick  fancies.  If  I  cannot  win 
her,  I  can  at  least  be  a  man  without  her  ;"  and  he  felt 
better  and  stronger  than  he  had  done  for  a  long  time.  The 
day  was  breaking  again. 

In  accordance  with  a  custom  that  was  growing  with  him 
ever  since  the  memorable  evening  when  Bill  Cronk  be 
friended  him,  he  laid  the  whole  matter  before  his  Heavenly 
Father,  as  a  child  tells  an  earthly  parent  all  his  heart. 
Then  he  added  one  simple  prayfr,  "  Qm'dfl  mfi  in  n.n 
things/' 

The  next  day  was  brighter  and  better  than  its  forerun 
ners.  "  For  some  reason  I  feel  more  like  myself,"  he 
thought.  After  the  excitement  and  activity  of  a  busy  day, 
he  said,  "  I  can  conquer  this,  if  I  must." 

But  when  he  had  made  his  simple  toilet,  and  was  on  his 


220  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

way  to  Miss  Winthrop's  residence,  his  heart  began  to  flutter 
strangely,  and  he  knew  the  reason.  Miss  Winthrop  wel 
comed  him  most  cordially,  and  put  him  at  his  ease  in  a 
moment,  as  only  a  true  lady  can.  Then  she  turned  to  re 
ceive  other  guests.  He  looked  around.  Christine  was  not 
there  ;  and  his  heart  sunk  like  lead.  "  She  will  not  be 
here,"  he  sighed.  But  the  guests  had  not  ceased  coming, 
and  every  new  arrival  caused  a  flutter  of  hopes  and  fears. 
He  both  longed  and  dreaded  to  meet  her.  At  last,  when 
he  had  almost  given  up  seeing  her,  suddenly  she  appeared, 
advancing  up  the  parlor  on  her  father's  arm.  Never  had 
she  seemed  so  dazzlingly  beautiful.  He  was  just  then 
talking  to  Mr.  Winthrop,  and  for  a  few  moments  that 
gentleman  was  perplexed  at  his  incoherent  answers  and 
the  changes  in  his  face.  Having  paid  their  respects  to  the 
daughter,  Mr.  and  Miss  Ludolph  came  toward  Mr.  Win 
throp,  and  of  course  Dennis  had  to  meet  them.  Having 
greeted  them  warmly,  Mr  Winthrop  said,  "  Of  course  you 
do  not  need  an  introduction  to  Mr.  Fleet." 

Dennis  had  shrunk  a  little  into  the  background,  and  at 
first  they  had  not  noticed  him.  Mr.  Ludolph  said,  good- 
naturedly,  "  Glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Fleet,  and  will  be  still 
more  glad  to  hear  your  fine  voice." 

But  Christine  merely  bowed  as  to  one  with  whom  her 
acquaintance  was  slight,  and  turned  away.  At  first  Dennis 
had  blushed,  and  his  heart  had  fluttered  like  a  young 
girl's  ;  but,  as  she  turned  so  coolly  away,  his  native  pride 
and  obstinacy  were  aroused. 

"  Sh&  shall  speak  to  me  and  do  me  justice."  he  mut 
tered.  "  She  must  understand  that  1  spoke  unconsciously 
on  that  miserable  morning,  and  am  not  to  be  blamed.  As 
I  am  a  man,  I  will  speak  boldly  and  secure  recognition." 
But  as  the  little  company  mingled  and  conversed  before 
the  music  commenced,  no  opportunity  offered.  He  deter 
mined  to  show  her,  however,  that  he  was  no  country  boor, 
and  with  skill  and  taste  made  himself  agreeable. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  221 

Christine  furtively  watched  him.  She  was  surprised  to 
see  him,  as  the  idea  of  meeting  him  in  society  as  an  equal 
had  scarcely  been  suggested  before.  But  when  she  saw 
that  he  greeted  one  after  another  with  grace  and  ease,  and 
that  all  seemed  to  enjoy  his  conversation,  so  that  a  little 
knot  of  Miss  Winthrop's  most  intelligent  guests  were  about 
him  at  last,  she  felt  that  it  would  be  no  great  condescen 
sion  on  her  part  to  be  a  little  more  affable.  In  her  heart, 
though,  she  had  not  forgiven  the  unconscious  words  that 
had  smitten  to  the  ground  her  ambitious  hopes. 

Then  again,  his  appearance  deeply  interested  her.  A 
suppressed  excitement  and  power,  seen  in  the  glow  and 
fire  of  his  dark  eyes,  and  felt  in  his  tones,  stirred  her  lan 
guid  pulses. 

"  He  is  no  vapid  society-man,"  she  said  to  herself  ;  and 
her  artist  eye  was  gratified  by  the  changes  in  his  noble 
face. 

"Look  at  Fleet,"  whispered  her  father;  "could  you 
believe  he  Mras  sweeping  the  store  the  other  day  ?  Well, 
if  we  don't  find  out  his  worth  and  get  what  we  can  from 
him,  the  world  will.  We  ought  to  have  had  him  up  to 
sing  before  this,  but  I  have  been  so  busy  since  your  illness 
that  it  slipped  my  mind." 

Miss  Winthrop  now  led  Christine  to  the  piano,  and  she 
played  a  classical  piece  of  music  in  faultless  taste.  Then 
followed  duets,  solos,  quartets,  choruses,  and  instrumental 
pieces,  for  nearly  all  present  were  musical  amateurs.  Un 
der  the  inspiration  of  this  soul-stirring  art,  coldness  and 
formality  melted  away,  and  with  jest  and  brilliant  repartee, 
alternating  with  song,  there  gathered  around  Miss  Win 
throp's  piano  such  a  group  as  could  never  grace  the  parlors 
of  Miss  Brown.  Sometimes  they  would  carry  a  new  and 
difficult  piece  triumphantly  through  ;  again  they  would 
break  down,  with  much  laughter  and  good-natured  rally 
ing. 

Dennis,  as  a  stranger,  held  back  at  first  ;  but  those  who 


2^2  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

remembered  his  singing  at  the  tableau  party  were  clamor 
ous  to  hear  him  again,  and  they  tested  and  tried  his  voice 
during  the  evening  in  many  and  varied  ways.  But  he  held 
his  own,  and  won  greener  laurels  than  ever.  He  did  his 
very  best,  for  he  was  before  one  whom  he  would  rather 
please  than  all  the  world  ;  moreover,  her  presence  seemed 
to  inspire  him  to  do  better  than  when  alone.  Christine, 
like  the  others,  could  not  help  listening  with  delight  to  his 
rich,  clear  tenor,  and  Mr.  Ludolph  was  undisguised  in  his 
admiration. 

"  I  declare,  Mr.  Fleet,  I  have  been  depriving  myself  of 
a  good  deal  of  pleasure.  I  meant  to  have  you  up  to  sing 
with  us  before,  but  we  have  been  under  such  a  press  of 
business  of  late  !  But  the  first  evening  I  am  disengaged 
you  must  surely  come." 

Christine  had  noticed  how  quietly  and  almost  indiffer 
ently  Dennis  had  taken  the  many  compliments  showered  on 
him  before,  but  now,  when  her  father  spoke,  his  face 
flushed,  and  a  sudden  light  came  into  his  eyes.  Dennis 
had  thought,  "  I  can  then  see  and  speak  to  her."  Every 
now  and  then  she  caught  his  eager,  questioning,  and 
almost  appealing  glance,  but  he  made  no  advances.  "  He 
thinks  I  am  angry  because  of  his  keen  criticism  of  my 
picture.  For  the  sake  of  my  own  pride,  I  must  not  let 
him  think  that  I  care  so  much  about  his  opinion  ;"  and 
Christine  resolved  to  let  some  of  the  ice  thaw  that  had 
formed  between  them.  Moreover,  in  spite  of  herself,  when 
he  was  thrown  into  his  society,  he  greatly  interested  her. 
v  He  seemed  to  have  just  what  she  had  not.  He  could  meet 
tier  on  her  own  ground  in  matters  of  taste,  and  then,  in 
contrast  with  her  cold,  negative  life,  he  was  so  earnest  and 
positive.  ' '  Perhaps  papa  spoke  for  us  both, ' '  she  thought, 
"  and  I  have  been  depriving  myself  of  a  pleasure  also,  for 
he  certainly  interests  while  most  men  only  weary  me." 

Between  ten  and  eleven  supper  was  announced  ;  not  the 
prodigal  abundance  under  which  the  brewer's  table  had 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  223 

groaned,  but  a  dainty,  elegant  little  affair,  which  inspired 
and  promoted  social  feeling,  though  the  "  spirit  of  wine" 
was  absent.  The  eye  was  feasted  as  truly  as  the  palate. 
Christine  had  stood  near  Dennis  as  the  last  piece  was  sung, 
and  he  turned  and  said  in  a  low,  eager  tone,  "  May  I  have 
the  pleasure  of  waiting  on  you  at  supper  ?" 

She  hesitated,  but  his  look  was  so  wistful  that  she  could 
not  well  refuse,  so  with  a  slight  smile  she  bowed  assent, 
and  placed  the  tips  of  her  little  gloved  hand  on  his  arm, 
which  so  trembled  that  she  looked  inquiringly  and  curi 
ously  into  his  face.  It  was  very  pale,  as  was  ever  the  case 
when  he  felt  deeply.  He  waited  on  her  politely  but  silently 
at  first.  She  sat  in  an  angle,  somewhat  apart  from  the 
others.  As  he  stood  by  her  side,  thinking  how  to  refer  to 
the  morning  in  the  show-room,  she  said  :  "  Mr.  Fleet,  you 
are  not  eating  anything,  and  you  look  as  if  you  had  been 
living  on  air  of  late, — very  unlike  your  appearance  when 
you  so  efficiently  aided  me  in  the  rearrangement  of  the 
store.  I  am  delighted  that  you  keep  up  the  better  order 
of  things." 

Dennis's  answer  was  quite  irrelevant. 

"  Miss  Ludolph,"  ho  said,  abruptly,  "  I  saw  that  I  gave 
you  pain  that  morning  in  the  show-room.  If  you  only 
knew  how  the  thought  has  pained  me  !" 

Christine  flushed  almost  angrily,  but  said,  coldly,  "  Mr. 
Fleet,  that  is  a  matter  you  can  never  understand,  therefore 
we  had  better  dismiss  the  subject." 

But  Dennis  had  determined  to  break  the  ice  between 
them  at  any  risk,  so  he  said,  firmly  but  respectfully  : 
"Miss  Ludolph,  I  did  understand  all,  the  moment  I  saw 
your  face  that  day.  I  do  understand  how  you  have  felt 
since,  better  than  you  imagine." 

His  manner  and  words  were  so  assured  that  she  raised  a 
startled  face  to  his,  but  asked  coldly  and  in  an  indifferent 
manner,  "  What  can  you  know  of  my  feelings  ?" 

"  I  know,"  said  Deimis,  in  a  low  tone,  looking  search- 


234  ARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

ingly  into  her  face,  from  \vliich  cool  composure  was  fast 
fading, — "  I  know  your  dearest  hope  was  to  be  among  the 
,  first  in  art.  You  staked  that  hope  on  your  success  in  a 
.painting  that  required  a  power  which  you  do  not  pos- 
/sess."  Christine  became  very  pale,  but  from  her  eyes 
shone  a  light  before  which  most  men  would  have  quailed. 
But  Dennis's  love  was  so  true  and  strong  that  he  could 
wound  her  for  the  sake  of  the  healing  and  life  he  hoped  to 
bring,  and  he  continued, — "  On  that  morning  this  cherished 
hope  for  the  future  failed  you,  not  because  of  my  words, 
but  because  your  artist  eye  saw  that  my  words  were  true. 
You  have  since  been  unhappy— 

"  What  right  have  you,—jo\i  who  were  but  a  few  days 
since— who  are  a  stranger,— what  right  have  you  to  speak 
thus  to  me  ?" 

"I  know  what  you  would  say,  Miss  Ludolph,"  he  an 
swered,  a  slight  flush  coming  into  his  pale  face.  "  Friends 
may  be  humble  and  yet  true.  But  am  I  not  right  ?" 

"I  have  no  claim  on  your  friendship,"  said  Christine, 
coldly.  "But,  for  the  sake  of  argument,  grant  that  you 
are  right,  what  follows?"  and  she  looked  at  him  more 
eagerly  than  she  knew.  She  felt  that  he  had  read  her  very 
jsoul  and  was  deeply  moved,  and  again  the  superstitious 
\J  Veeling  crept  over  her,  "  That  yo_uj2^man__is_in_some  way 
Connected  with  my  destiny/' 

Dennis  saw  his  power  and  proceeded  rapidly,  for  he 
knew  they  might  be  interrupted  at  any  moment ;  and  so 
they  would  have  been  had  anything  less  interesting  than 
eating  occupied  the  attention  of  others. 

"  I  saw  in  the  picture  what  in  your  eyes  and  mine  would 
be  a  fatal  defect, — the  lack  of  life  and  true  feeling, — the 
lack  of  power  to  live.  I  did  not  know  who  painted  it,  but 
felt  that  any  one  who  could  paint  as  well  as  that,  and  yet 
leave  out  the  soul,  as  it  were,  had  not  the  power  to  put  it 
in.  No  artist  of  such  ability  could  willingly  or  ignoranjly 
have  permitted  such  a  defect."  * 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


Christine's  eyes  sunk,  their  fire  faded  out,  and  her  face 
had  the  pallor  of  one  listening  to  her  doom.  This  deeper 
feeling  mastered  the  momentary  resentment  against  the 
hand  that  was  wounding  her,  and  she  forgot  him,  and  all, 
in  her  pain  and  despair. 

In  a  low,  earnest  tone  Dennis  continued  :  "  But  since 
I  have  come  to  know  who  the.  artist  is,  since  I  have  studied 
the  picture  more  fully,  and  have  taken  the  liberty  of  some 
observation,"  —  Christine  hung  on  his  lips  breathlessly,  and 
Dennis  spoke  slowly,  marking  the  effect  of  every  word,  — 
'  '  I  have  come  to  the  decided  belief  that  the  lady  who 
painted  that  picture  can  reach  the  sphere  of  true  and  high 
est  art." 

The  light  that  stole  into  Christine's  face  under  his  slow, 
emphatic  words  was  like  a  rosy  dawn  in  June  :  and  the 
thought  flashed  through  Dennis's  mind,  "If  an  earthly 
hope  can  so  light  up  her  face^  what  will  be  the  effect  of  a 
heavenly  one  ?" 

For  a  moment  she  sat  as  one  entranced,  looking  at  a  pic 
ture  far  off  in  the  future.  His  words  had  been  so  earnest 
and  assured  that  they  seemed  reality.  Suddenly  she  turned 
on  him  a  look  as  grateful  and  happy  as  the  former  one  had 
been  full  of  pain  and  anger,  and  said  :  "  Ah,  do  not  deceive 
me,  do  not  flatter.  You  cannot  know  the  sweetness  and 
power  of  the  hope  you  are  inspiring.  To  be  disappointed 
again  would  be  death.  If  you  are  trifling  with  me  I  will 
never  forgive  you,"  she  added,  in  sudden  harshness,  her 
brow  darkening. 

"  Nor  should  I  deserve  to  be  forgiven  if  I  deceived  you 
in  a  matter  that  to  you  is  so  sacred." 

"  But  how—  how  am  I  to  gain  this  magic  power  to  make 
faces  feel  and  live  on  canvas  ?" 

"  You  must  believe.     You  must  feel  yourself." 

*Blie  looked  at  him  with  darkening  face,  and  then  in  a 
sudden  burst  of  passion  said  :  "  I  don't  believe  ;  I  can't 
f_ci  1.  All  this  is  mockery,  after  all." 


226  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

"  No  !"  said  Dennis,  in  the  deep,  assured  tone  that  ever 
calms  and  secures  attention.  "This  is^not  mockery.  I 
speak  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness.  You  do  not 
believe,  but  that  is  not  the  same  as  cannot.  And  permit 
me  to  contradict  you  when  I  say  you  do  feel.  On  this 
subject  so  near  your  heart  you  feel  most  deeply, — feel  as 
I  never  knew  any  one  feel  before.  This  proves  you  capa 
ble  of  feeling  on  other  and  higher  subjects,  and  what  you 
feel  your  trained  and  skilful  hand  can  portray.  You  felt 
on  the  evening  of  that  miserable  day,  and  sang  as  I  never 
heard  you  sing  before.  Your  tones  then  would  move  any 
heart,  and  my  tears  fell  with  the  rain  in  sympathy  :  I 
could  not  help  it." 

Her  bosom  rose  and  fell  tumultuously,  and  her  breath 
came  hard  and  quick. 

"  Oh,  if  I  could  believe  you  were  right !" 

"  I  know  I  am  right,"  he  said,  so  decidedly  that  again 
hope  grew  rosy  and  beautiful  in  her  face. 

"Then  again,"  he  continued,  eagerly,  "see  what  an 
advantage  you  have  over  the  most  of  us.  Your  power  of 
imitation  is  wonderful.  You  can  copy  anything  you  see." 

"  Good-evening,  Miss  Ludolph.  Where  have  you  been 
hiding  ?  I  have  twice  made  the  tour  of  the  supper-room 
in  my  search,"  broke  in  the  voluble  Mr.  Mellen.  Then  he 
gave  Dennis  a  cool  stare,  who  acted  as  if  unconscious  of 
his  presence.  An  expression  of  disgust  flitted  across  Chris 
tine's  face  at  the  interruption,  or  the  person,— perhaps 
both,— and  she  was  about  to  shake  him  off  that  Dennis 
might  speak  further,  when  Miss  Winthrop  and  others 
came  up,  and  there  was  a  general  movement  back  to  the 
parlors. 

"  Why,  Christine,  what  is  the  matter  ?"  asked  her 
friend.  "  You  look  as  if  you  had  a  fever.  What  has  Mr. 
Fleet  been  saying  ?" 

"  Oh,  we  have  had  an  argument  on  my  hobby,  art,  and 
of  course  don't  agree,  and  so  got  excited  in  debate." 


BAERIERS  BURNED  A WA Y.  227 

Miss  Winthrop  glanced  keenly  at  them  and  said,  "  I 
would  like  to  have  heard  it,  for  it  was  Greek  meeting 
Greek." 

"  To  what  art  or  trade  did  Mr.  Fleet  refer  ?"  asked  Mr. 
Mcllen,  with  an  insinuation  that  all  understood. 

"One  that  you  do  not  understand,"  said  Christine, 
keenly. 

The  petted  and  spoiled  inillionnaire  flushed  angrily  a 
moment,  and  then  said  with  a  bow  :  "  You  are  right,  Miss 
Ludolph.  Mr.  Fleet  is  acquainted  with  one  or  two  arts 
that  I  have  never  had  the  pleasure  of  learning." 

"  He  has  at  least  learned  the  art  of  being  a  gentleman," 
was  the  sharp  retort. 

The  young  man's  face  grew  darker,  and  he  said,  "  From 
the  sweeping  nature  of  your  remarks,  I  perceive  that  Mr. 
Fleet  is  high  in  your  favor." 

"  A  poor  pun  made  in  poorer  taste,"  was  all  the  comfort 
he  got  from  Christine. 

Dennis  was  naturally  of  a  very  jealous  disposition  where 
his  affections  were  concerned.  His  own  love  took  such 
entire  possession  of  him  that  he  could  not  brook  the  inter 
ference  of  others,  or  sensibly  consider  that  they  had  the 
same  privilege  to  woo,  and  win  if  possible,  that  he  had. 
Especially  distasteful  to^him  was  this  rich  and  favored 
youth,  whose  presence  awakened  all  his  combativeness, 
which  was  by  no  means  small. 

Mr.  Mellen's  most  inopportune  interruption  and  covert 
taunts  provoked  him  beyond  endurance.  His  face  was 
fairly  white  with  rage,  and  for  a  moment  he  felt  that 
he  could  stamp  his  rival  out  of  existence.  In  the  low, 
concentrated  voice  of  passion  he  said,  "  If  Mr.  Mellen 
should  lose  his  property,  as  many  do,  I  gather  from  his 
remarks  that  he  would  still  keep  up  his  idea  of  a  gentle 
man  on  charity." 

Mr.  Mellen  flushed  to  the  roots  of  his  hair,  his  hands 
clenched.  In  the  flashing  eyes  and  threatening  faces  of 


228  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

the  young  men  those  witnessing  the  scene  foresaw  trouble. 
A  light  hand  fell  on  Dennis's  arm,  and  Miss  Winthrop 
said,  "  Mr.  Fleet,  I  wish  to  show  you  a  picture,  and  ask 
your  judgment  in  regard  to  it." 

Dennis  understood  the  act,  and  in  a  moment  more  his 
face  was  crimson  with  shame. 

"  Miss  Winthrop,  you  ought  to  send  me  home  at  once. 
I  told  you  I  was  unfit  for  society.  Somehow  I  am  not 
myself.  I  humbly  ask  your  pardon." 

"  So  sincere  a  penitent  shall  receive  absolution  at  once. 
You  were  greatly  provoked.  I  trust  you  for  the  future." 

"You  may,"  was  the  emphatic  answer.  After  that 
pledge  Mr.  MeUen  might  have  struck  him  and  received  no 
more  response  than  from  a  marble  statue. 

Mr.  Mellen  also  took  a  sober  second  thought,  remember 
ing  that  he  was  in  a  lady's  parlor.  He  walked  away  with 
his  ears  tingling,  for  the  flattered  ^outh  had  never  had 
such  an  experience  before.  The  few  who  witnessed  the 
scene  smiled  significantly,  as  did  Christine  half  contempt 
uously  ;  but  Miss  Winthrop  soon  restored  serenity,  and 
the  remaining  hours  passed  away  in  music  and  dancing. 
Christine  did  not  speak  to  Dennis  again, — that  is,  by  word 
of  mouth, — but  she  thought  of  him  constantly,  and  their 
eyes  often  met  ;— on  hisipart  that  same  eager,  questioning 
look.  She  ever  turned  hers  at  once  away.  But  his  words 
kept  repeating  themselves  continually,  especially  his  last 
sentence,  when  the  unlucky  Mr.  Mellen  had  broken  in 
upon  them,—"  You  can  copy  anything  you  see." 

"  How  noble  and  expressive  of  varied  feeling  his  face 
is  !"  she  thought,  watching  it  change  under  the  playful 
badinage  of  Miss  Winthrop. 

"  How  I  would  like  to  copy  it !     Well,  you  can, — '  You 

can  copy  anything  you  see. '  '      Then  like  a  flash  came  a 

suggestion, — "  Yiju_canmake  him  love  you,  and  copy  feel- 

-     ing,  passion,  life— froH~^He~Zm%  face.    Whether  I  can 

believe  or  feel,  myself,  is  very  doubtful.    This  I  can  do  : 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  229 

he  himself  said  so.  I  cannot  love,  myself,— I  must  not ; 
1  do  not  wish  to  now,  but  perhaps  I  can  in&pire  love  in 
him,  and  then  make  his  face  a  study.  As  to  my  believing, 
he  can  never  know  how  utterly  impossible  his  faith  is  to 
me." 

Then  conscience  entered  a  mild  protest  against  the  cruelty 
of  the  project.  "  Nonsense  !"  tshe  said  to  herself  ;  "  most 
girls  flirt  for  sport,  and  it  is  a  pity  if  I  cannot  with  such  a 
purpose  in  view.  He  will  soon  get  over  a  little  puncture 
in  his  heart  after  I  have  sailed  away  to  my  bright  future 
beyond  the  sea,  and  perhaps  Susie  will  comfort  him  ;"  and 
she  smiled  at  the  thought.  Dennis  saw  the  smile  and  was 
entranced  by  its  loveliness.  How  little  he  guessed  the  cause  ! 

Having  resolved,  Christine  acted  promptly.  When  their 
eyes  again  met,  she  gave  him  a  slight  smile.  He  caught 
it  instantly  and  looked  bewildered,  as  if  he  could  not  believe 
his  eyes.  Again,  when  a  little  later,  at  the  urgent  request 
of  many,  he  sung  alone  for  the  first  time,  and  again  moved 
his  hearers  deeply  by  the  real  feeling  in  his  tones,  he  turned 
from  the  applause  of  all,  with  that  same  questioning  look, 
to  her.  She  smiled  a  $  encouragement  that  she  had  never 
given  him  before.  The  warm  blood  flooded  his  face  in 
stantly.  All  thought  that  it  was  the  general  chorus  of 
praise.  Christine  knew  that  she  had  caused  it,  and  sur 
prise  and  almost  exultation  came  into  her  face.  "  I  half 
believe  he  loves  me  now,"  she  said.  She  threw  him  a  few 
more  kindly  smiles  from  time  to  time,>as  one  might  throw 
some  glittering  things  to  an  eager  child,  and  every  moment 
assured  her  of  her  power. 

"  I  will  try  one  more  test,"  she  said,  and  by  a  little  effort 
she  lured  to  her  side  the  offended  Mr.  Mellen,  and  appeared 
much  pleased  by  his  attention.  Then  unmistakably  the 
pain  of  jealousy  was  stamped  on  Dennis's  face,  and  she 
was  satisfied.  Shaking  off  the  perplexed  Mr.  Mellen  again, 
she  went  to  the  recess  of  a  window  to  hide  her  look  of 
exultation. 


230  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  The  poor  victim  loves  me  already,"  she  said.  "  The 
mischief  is  done.  I  have  only  to  avail  myself  of  what 
exists  from  no  fault  of  mine,  and  surely  I  ought  to  ;  other 
wise  the  passion  of  the  infatuated  youth  will  be  utterly 
wasted,  and  do  no  one  any  good." 

Thus  in  a  somewhat  novel  way  Christine  obtained  a  new 
master  in  painting,  and  poor  Dennis  and  his  love  were  put 
to  use  somewhat  as  a  human  subject  might  be  if  dissected 
alive. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE   TWO   HEIGHTS. 

DENNIS  went  home  in  a  strange  tumult  of  hopes  and 
fears,  but  hope  predominated,  for  evidently  she  cared  little 
for  Mr.  Mellen.  "  The  ice  is  broken  at  last,"  he  said.  It 
was,  but  he  was  like  to  fall  through  into  a  very  cold  bath, 
though  he  knew  it  not.  He  was  far  too  excited  to  sleep, 
and  sat  by  his  open  window  till  the  warm  June  night  grew 
pale  with  the  light  of  coming  day. 

Suddenly  a  bright  thought  struck  him  ;  a  moment  more 
and  it  became  an  earnest  purpose.  "  I  think  I  can  paint 
something  that  may  express  to  her  what  I  dare  not  put  in 
words."  * 

He  immediately  went  up  into  the  loft  and  prepared  a 
large  frame,  so  proportioned  that  two  pictures  could  be 
painted  side  by  side,  one  explanatory  and  an  advance  upon 
the  othe.r.  He  stretched  his  canvas  over  this,  and  sketched 
and  outlined  rapidly  under  the  inspiration  of  his  happy 
thought. 

Christine  came  with  her  father  to  the  store,  as  had  been 
her  former  custom,  and  her  face  had  its  old  expression. 
The  listless,  disappointed  look  was  gone.  She  passed  on, 
not  appearing  to  see  him  while  with  her  father,  and  Den- 


BARE1ERS  BURNED  AWAY.  231 

nis's  heart  sunk  again.  "  She  surely  knew  where  to  look 
for  me  if  she  cared  to  look,"  he  said  to  himself.  Soon 
after  he  went  to  the  upper  show-room  to  see  to  the  hanging 
of  a  new  picture. 

"  I  am  so  glad  your  taste,  instead  of  old  Schwartz's 
mathematics,  has  charge  of  this  department  now,"  said  a 
honeyed  voice  at  his  side.  He  was  startled  greatly. 

"  What  is  the  matter?  Are  you  nervous,  Mr.  Fleet? 
I  had  no  idea  that  a  lady  could  so  frighten  you." 

He  was  blushing  like  a  girl,  but  said,  "  I  have  read  that 
something  within,  rather  than  anything  without,  makes  us 
cowards." 

"  Ah,  then  you  confess  to  a  guilty  conscience?"  she  re 
plied,  with  a  twinkle  in  her  eye. 

"  I  do  not  think  I  shall  confess  at  all  till  I  have  a  merci 
ful  confessor,"  said  Dennis,  conscious  of  a  deeper  meaning 
than  his  light  words  might  convey. 

"  '  The  quality  of  mercy  is  not  strained,'  therefore  it  is 
unfit  for  my  use.  I'll  none  of  it,  but  for  each  offence  im 
pose  unlimited  penance." 

"  But  suppose  one  must  sin  ?" 

"  He  must  taken  the  consequences  then.  Even  your 
humane  religion  teaches  that  ;"  and  with  this  parting 
arrow  she  vanished,  leaving  him  too  excited  to  hang  his 
picture  straight. 

It  all  seemed  a  bewildering  dream.  Being  so  thoroughly 
taken  by  surprise  and  off  his  guard,  he  had  said  far  more 
than  he  meant.  But  had  she  understood  him  ?  Yes,  better 
than  he  had  himself,  and  laughed  at  his  answers  with  their 
covert  meanings. 

She  spent  the  next  two  days  in  sketching  and  outlining 
his  various  expressions  as  far  as  possible  from  memory. 
She  would  learn  to  catch  those  evanescent  lines, — that 
something  which  makes  the  human  face  eloquent,  though 
the  lips  are  silent. 

Dennis  was  in  a  maze,  but  he  repeated  to  himself  jubi- 


232  BARR1KRS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

lantly  again,  "  The  ice  is  broken."  That  evening  at  Mr. 
Bruder's  he  asked  for  studies  in  ice. 

"  Vy,  dat  is  out  of  season,"  said  Mr.  Bruder,  with  a  laugh. 

"  No,  now  is  just  the  time.  It  is  a  nice  cool  subject  for 
this  hot  weather.  Please  oblige  me  ;  for  certain  reasons 
I  wish  to  be  able  to  paint  ice  perfectly. ' ' 

Arctic  scenery  was  Mr.  Bruder's  forte,  on  which  he 
specially  prided  himself.  He  was  too  much  of  a  gentleman 
to  ask  questions,  and  was  delighted  to  find  the  old  zest 
returning  in  his  pupil.  They  were  soon  constructing 
bergs,  caves,  and  grottos  of  cold  blue  ice.  Evening  after 
evening,  while  sufficient  light  lasted,  they  worked  at  this 
study.  Dennis's  whole  soul  seemed  bent  on  the  formation 
of  ice.  After  a  month  of  labor  Mr.  Bruder  said,  "  I  hope 
you  vill  get  over  dis  by  fall,  or  ve  all  freeze  to  death." 

"  One  of  these  days  I  shall  explain,"  said  Dennis,  smil 
ing. 

The  evening  of  the  second  day  after  the  little  rencounter 
in  the  show-room,  Mr.  Ludolph  sat  enjoying  hh  cigar,  and 
Christine  was  at  the  piano  playing  a  difficult  piece  of 
music. 

"  Come,  father,"  she  said,  "here  is  a  fine  thing  just 
from  Germany.  There  is  a  splendid  tenor  solo  in  it,  and 
I  want  you  to  sing  it  for  me." 

"  Pshaw  !"  said  her  father,  "  why  did  I  not  think  of  it 
before  ?"  and  he  rang  the  bell.  "  Here,  Brandt,  go  down 
to  the  store,  and  if  Mr.  Fleet  is  there  ask  him  if  he  will 
come  up  to  my  rooms  for  a  little  while." 

Brandt  met  Dennis  just  starting  for  his  painting  lesson, 
but  led  him  a  willing  captive,  to  give  Christine  instruction 
unconsciously. 

She,  whose  strategy  had  brought  it  all  about,  smiled  at 
her  success.  It  was  not  her  father's  tenor  she  wanted,  but 
Dennis's  face  ;  and  her  father  should  unknowingly  work 
her  will.  The  girl  had  learned  so  much  from  the  wily  man 
of  the  world  that  she  was  becoming  his  master. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAY.  233 

Dennis  came  and  entered  with  a  thrill  of  delight  what 
was  to  him  enchanted  ground.  Mr.  Ludolph  was  affable, 
Christine  kind,  but  she  looked  more  than  she  said. 

Dennis  sung  the  solo,  after  one  or  two  efforts,  correctly. 
Then  Mr.  Ludolph  brought  out  a  piece  of  music  that  he 
wished  to  try  ;  Christine  found  others  ;  and  before  they 
knew  it  the  evening  had  passed. ,  Quite  a  knot  of  delighted 
listeners  gathered  in  the  street  opposite.  This  Christine 
pointed  out  to  her  father  with  evident  annoyance. 

"  Well,  my  dear,"  he  said,  "  hotel  life  in  a  crowded  city 
renders  escape  from  such  things  impossible." 

But  a  purpose  was  growing  in  her  mind  of  which  she 
spoke  soon  after.  Throughout  the  evening  she  had  studied 
Dennis's  face  as  much  as  she  could  without  attracting 
notice,  and  the  thought  grew  upon  her  that  at  last  she  had 
found  a  path  to  the  success  she  so  craved. 

' '  You  seem  to  have  gone  to  work  with  your  old  inter 
est,"  said  her  father,  as  he  came  out  of  his  room  the  next 
morning  and  found  Christine  at  her  easel. 

"  I  shall  try  it  again,"  she  said,  briefly. 

"  That  is  right,"  said  he,.  "  The  idea  of  being  daunted 
by  one  partial  failure  !  I  predict  for  you  such  success  as- 
will  satisfy  even  your  fastidious  taste." 

"We  shall  see,"  she  said.  "I  hope,  too."  But  she 
would  not  have  her  father  know  on  what  grounds.  He 
might  regard  the  experiment  as  a  dangerous  one  for  herself 
as  well  as  for  Dennis,  and  she  decided  to  keep  her  plan 
entirely  secret. 

She  now  came  to  the  store  daily,  and  rarely  went  away 
without  giving  Dennis  a  smile  or  word  of  recognition. 
But  he  noticed  that  she  ever  did  this  in  a  casual  manner, 
and  in  a  way  that  would  not  attract  attention.  He  also 
took  the  hint,  and  never  was  obtrusive  or  demonstrative, 
but  it  was  harder  work  for  his  frank  nature.  When  un 
observed,  his  glances  grew  more  ardent  day  by  day.  So 
far  from  checking  these,  she  encouraged  them,  but,  when 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

in  any  way  he  sought  to  put  his  feelings  into  words,  she 
changed  the  subject  instantly  and  decidedly.  This  puzzled 
him,  for  he  did  not  understand  that  looks  could  be  painted, 
but  not  words.  The  latter  were  of  no  use  to  her.  But  she 
led  him  on  skilfully,  and,  from  the  unbounded  power  his 
love  gave  her,  played  upon  his  feelings  as  adroitly  as  she 
touched  her  grand  piano. 

Soon  after  the  company  at  Miss  Winthrop's,  she  said  to 
him,  "  You  received  several  invitations  the  other  evening, 
did  you  not  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  Accept  them.     Go  into  society.     It  will  do  you  good." 

Thus  he  soon  found  himself  involved  in  a  round  of 
sociables,  musicales,  and  now  and  then  a  large  party. 
Christine  was  usually  present,  radiant,  brilliant,  the  cyno 
sure  of  all  eyes,  but  ever  coolly  self-possessed.  At  first 
she  would  greet  him  with  distant  politeness,  or  pretend  not 
to  see  him  at  all,  but  before  the  evening  was  over  would 
manage  to  give  him  a  half-hour  in  which  she  would  be 
kind  and  even  gentle  at  times,  but  very  observant.  Then 
for  the  rest  of  the  evening  he  would  find  no  chance  to 
approach.  It  appeared  that  she  was  deeply  interested  in 
him,  enjoyed  his  society,  and  was  even  becoming  attached 
to  him,  but  that  for  some  reason  she  determined  that  no 
one  should  notice  this,  and  that  matters  should  only  go  so 
far.  Poor  Dennis  could  not  know  that  he  was  only  her 
unconscious  instructor  in  painting,  paid  solely  in  the  coin 
of  false  smiles  and  delusive  hopes.  At  times,  though,  she 
would  torture  him  dreadfully.  Selecting  one  of  her  many 
admirers,  she  would  seem  to  smile  upon  his  suit,  and  poor 
Dennis  would  writhe  in  all  the  agonies  of  jealousy,  for  he 
was  very  human,  and  had  all  the  normal  feeling  of  a  strong 
man.  She  would  then  watch  his  face  grow  pale  and  his 
manner  restless,  as  quietly  and  critically  as  an  entomologist 
regards  the  struggles  of  an  insect  beneath  his  microscope. 
Again,  she  would  come  to  him  all  grace  and  sweetness,  and 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  ^35 

his  fine  face  would  light  up  with  hope  and  pleasure.  She 
would  say  honeyed  nothings,  but  study  him  just  as  coolly 
in  another  aspect. 

Thus  she  kept  him  hot  and  cold  by  turns, — now  lifting 
him  to  the  pinnacle  of  hope,  again  casting  him  down  into 
the  valley  of  fear  and  doubt.  What  she  wanted  of  him 
was  just  what  she  had  not,— feeling,  intense,  varied  feel 
ing,  so  that,  while  she  remained  ice,  she  could  paint  as  if 
she  felt  ;  and  with  a  gifted  woman's  tact,  and  with  the 
power  of  one  loved  almost  to  idolatry,  she  caused  every 
chord  of  his  soul,  now  in  happy  harmony,  now  in  painful 
discord,  to  vibrate  under  her  skilful  touch.  But  such  a 
life  was  very  wearing,  aoad  he  was  failing  under  it.  More 
over,  he  was  robbing  himself  of  sleep  in  the  early  morn 
ing,  that  he  might  work  on  his  picture  in  the  loft  of  the 
store,  for  which  he  asked  of  poor  Mr.  Bruder  nothing  but 
ice. 

Mrs.  Bruder  worried  over  him  continually. 

"  You  vork  too  hart.  Vat  shall  ve  do  for  you  ?  O  my 
fren,  if  you  love  us  do  not  vork  so  hart,"  she  would  often 
say.  But  Dennis  would  only  smile  and  turn  to  her  hus 
band  in  his  insatiable  demand  for  painted  ice.  At  last 
Mr.  Bruder  said,  "  Mr.  Fleet,  you  can  paint  ice,  as  far  as 
I  see,  as  veil  as  myself." 

Then  Dennis  turned  short  around  and  said,  "  Now  I 
want  warm  rosy  light  and  foliage  ;  give  me  studies  in 
these. ' ' 

"  By  de  hammer  of  Thor,  but  you  go  to  extremes. " 

"  You  shall  know  all  some  day,"  said  Dennis,  entering 
on  his  new  tasks  with  increasing  eagerness. 

But  day  by  day  he  grew  thinner  and  paler.  Even  Chris 
tine's  heart  sometimes  relented  ;  for,  absorbed  as  she  was 
in  her  own  work  and  interests,  she  could  not  help  noticing 
how  sadly  he  differed  from  the  vigorous  youth  who  had 
lifted  the  heavy  pictures  for  her  but  a  few  short  weeks 
ago.  But  she  quieted  herself  by  the  thought  that  he  was 


236  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

a  better  artistic  subject,  and  that  lie  would  mend  again 
when  the  cool  weather  came. 

"  Where  shall  we  go  for  the  two  hot  months  ?"  asked  her 
father  the  morning  after  the  Fourth. 

"  I  have  a  plan  to  propose,"  replied  Christine.  "  Sup 
pose  we  go  to  housekeeping." 

"  What  !"  said  her  father,  dropping  his  knife  and  fork, 
and  looking  at  her  in  astonishment.  "Go  to  all  the  ex 
pense  of  furnishing  a  house,  when  we  do  not  expect  to 
stay  here  much  more  than  a  year  ?  We  should  hardly  be 
settled  before  we  left  it. " 

"Listen  to  me  patiently  till  I  finish,  and  then  I  will 
abide  by  your  decision.  But  I  think  you  will  give  me 
credit  for  having  a  slight  turn  for  business  as  well  as  art. 
You  remember  Mr.  Jones's  beautiful  house  on  the  north 

side,   do  you  not  ?    It  stands  on  Street,  well  back, 

surrounded  by  a  lawu  and  flowers.  There  is  only  one 
other  house  on  the  block.  Well,  Mr.  Jones  is  embarrassed, 
and  his  house  is  for  sale.  From  inquiry  I  am  satisfied  that 
a  casli  offer  would  obtain  the  property  cheaply.  The 
furniture  is  good,  and  much  of  it  elegant.  What  we  do  not 
want — what  will  not  accord  with  a  tasteful  refurnishing — 
can  be  seut  to  an  auction-room.  At  comparatively  slight 
expense,  if  you  can  spare  Mr.  Fleet  to  help  me  during  the 
time  when  business  is  dull,  I  can  make  the  house  such  a 
gem  of  artistic  elegance  that  it  will  be  noted  throughout 
the  city,  and  next  fall  some  rich  snob,  seeking  to  vault 
suddenly  into  social  position,  will  give  just  what  you  are 
pleased  to  ask.  In  the  mean  time,  we  have  a  retired  and 
delightful  home. 

"  Moreover,  father,"  she  continued,  touching  him  on  his 
weak  side,  "it  will  be  a  good  preparation  for  the  more 
difficult  and  important  work  of  the  same  kind  awaiting  me 
in  my  own  land." 

"Humph!"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  meditatively,  "there  is 
more  method  in  your  madness  than  I  imagined.  I  will 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  237 

think  of  it,  for  it  is  too  important  a  step  to  be  taken 
hastily." 

Mr.  Ludolph  did  think  of  it,  and,  after  attending  to 
pressing  matters  in  the  store,  went  over  to  see  the  property. 
A  few  days  afterward  he  came  up  to  dinner  and  threw  the 
deed  for  it  into  his  daughter's  lap.  She  glanced  it  over, 
and  her  eyes  grew  luminous  with  delight  and  triumph. 

"  See  how  comfortable  and  happy  I  will  make  you  in 
return  for  this  kindness,"  she  said. 

"  Oh,  come,"  replied  her  father,  laughing,  "  that  is  not 
the  point.  This  is  a  speculation,  and  your  business  reputa 
tion  is  at  stake." 

"  I  will  abide  the  test,"  she  answered,  with  a  significant 
nod. 

Christine  desired  the  change  for  several  reasons.  There 
was  a  room  in  the  house  that  would  just  suit  her  as  a 
studio.  She  detested  the  publicity  of  a  hotel.  The  furnish 
ing  of  an  elegant  house  was  a  form  of  activity  most  pleas 
ing  to  her  energetic  nature,  and  she  felt  a  very  strong  wish 
to  try  her  skill  in  varied  effect  before  her  grand  effort  in 
the  Ludolph  Hall  of  the  future. 

But  in  addition  to  these  motives  was  another,  of  which 
she  did  not  speak  to  her  father.  In  the  privacy  of  her  own 
home  she  could  pursue  that  peculiar  phase  of  art  study  in 
which  she  was  absorbed.  Her  life  had  now  become  a  most 
exciting  one.  She  ever  seemed  on  the  point  of  obtaining 
the  power  to  portray  the  eloquence  of  passion,  feeling,  but 
there  was  a  subtile  something  that  still  eluded  her.  She 
saw  it  daily,  and  yet  could  not  reproduce  it.  She  seemed 
to  get  the  features  right,  and  yet  they  were  dead,  or  else 
the  emotion  was  so  exaggerated  as  to  suggest  weak  senti 
mentality,  and  this  of  all  things  disgusted  her.  Every  day 
she  studied  the  expressive  face  of  Dennis  Fleet,  the  myste 
rious  power  seemed  nearer  her  grasp.  Her  effort  was  now 
gaining  all  the  excitement  of  a  chase.  She  saw  before  her 
just  what  she  wanted,  and  it  seemed  that  she  had  only  to 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

grasp  Her  pencil  or  brush,  and  place  the  fleeting  expres 
sions  where  they  might  always  appeal  to  the  sympathy  of 
the  beholder.  Nearly  all  her  studies  now  were  the  human 
face  and  form,  mainly  those  of  ladies,  to  disarm  suspicion. 
Of  course  she  took  no  distinct  likeness  of  Dennis.  She 
sought  only  to  paint  what  his  face  expressed.  At  times 
she  seemed  about  to  succeed,  and  excitement  brought  color 
to  her  cheek  and  fire  to  her  eye  that  made  her  dazzlingly 
beautiful  to  poor  Dennis.  Then  she  would  smile  upon  him 
in  such  a  bewitching,  encouraging  way  that  it  was  little 
wonder  his  face  lighted  up  with  all  the  glory  of  hope. 

If  once  more  she  could  have  him  about  her  as  when 
rearranging  the  store,  and,  without  the  restraint  of  curious 
eyes,  could  play  upon  his  heart,  then  pass  at  once  to  her 
easel  with  the  vivid  impression  of  what  she  saw,  she  might 
catch  the  coveted  power,  and  become  able  to  portray,  as  if 
she  felt,  that  which  is  the  inspiration  of  all  the  highest 
forms  of  art, — feeling. 

That  evening",  Dennis,  at  Mr.  Ludolph's  request,  came 
to  the  hotel  to  try  some  new  music.  During  the  evening 
Mr.  Ludolph  was  called  out  for  a  little  time.  Availing 
himself  of  the  opportunity,  Dennis  said,  "  You  seem  to  be 
working  with  all  your  old  zest  and  hope." 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  with  greater  hope  than  ever  before." 
"  Won't  you  show  me  something  that  you  are  doing?" 
"  No,  not  yet.     I  am  determined  that  when  you  see  work 
of  mine  again  the  fatal  defect  which  you  pointed  out  shall 
be  absent." 

His  eyes  and  face  became  eloquent  with  the  hope  she 
inspired.  Was  her  heart,  awakening  from  its  long  winter 
of  doubt  and  indifference,  teaching  her  to  paint  ?  Had  she 
recognized  the  truth  of  his  assurance  that  she  must  feel, 
and  then  she  could  portray  feeling  ?  and  had  she  read  in 
his  face  and  manner  that  which  had  created  a  kindred  im 
pulse  in  her  heart  ?  He  was  about  to  speak,  the  ice  of  his 
reserve  and  prudence  fast  melting  under  what  seemed  good 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  239 

evidence  that  her  smiles  and  kindness  might  be  interpreted 
in  accordance  with  his  longings.  She  saw  and  anticipated. 

"  With  all  your  cleverness1,  Mr.  Fleet,  I  may  prove  you 
at  fault,  and  become  able  to  portray  what  I  do  not  feel  or 
believe." 

"  You  mean  to  say  that  you  work  from  your  old  stand 
point  merely?"  asked  Dennis,  feeling  as  if  a  sunny  sky 
had  suddenly  darkened. 

"  I  do  not  say  that  at  all,  but  that  I  do  not  work  from 
yours." 

"  And  yet  you  hope  to  succeed  ?" 

"  I  think  I  am  succeeding." 

Perplexity  and  disappointment  were  plainly  written  on 
his  face.  She,  with  a  merry  and  half-malicious  laugh, 
turned  to  the  piano,  and  sung  :  — 

From  Mount  Olympus'  snowy  height 
The  gods  look  down  on  human  life : 

Beneath  contending  armies  fight ; 
All  undisturbed  they  watch  the  strife. 

Dennis  looked  at  her  earnestly,  and  after  a  moment  said, 
"  Will  you  please  play  that  accompaniment  again  ?" 
She  complied,  and  he  sung  : — 

Your  Mount  Olympus'  icy  peak 
Is  barren  waste,  by  cold  winds  swept : 

Another  height  I  gladly  see, 
Where  God  o'er  human  sorrow  wept. 

She  turned  a  startled  and  almost  wistful  face  to  him,  for 
he  had  given  a  very  unexpected  answer  to  her  cold,  selfish 
philosophy,  which  was  so  apt  and  sudden  as  to  seem  almost 
inspired. 

"  Oft  you  T^fpr  t,r>  nhristVweeping  over  Jerusalem  ?"  she 
asked. 

"Yes." 

She  sat  for  a  little  time  silent  and  thoughtful,  and  Dennis 
watched  her  keenly.  Suddenly  her  brow  darkened,  and 
she  said,  bitterly  :  "  Delusion  !  If  He  had  been  a  God  He 


240  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY, 

would  ntiarekny^  would  have 


Dennis  was  about  to  reply  eagerly,  when  Mr.  Ludolph 
entered,  and  music  was  resumed.  But  it  was  evident  that 
Dennis's  lines  had  disturbed  the  fair  sceptic's  equanimity. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

K  BEGUILED. 

DENNIS  returned  to  his  room  greatly  perplexed.  There 
was  something  in  Christine's  actions  which  he  could  not 
understand.  From  the  time  of  their  first  conversation  at 
Miss  Winthrop's,  she  had  evidently  felt  and  acted  differ 
ently.  If  her  heart  remained  cold  and  untouched,  if  as 
yet  neither  faith  nor  love  had  any  existence  therein,  what 
was  the  inspiring  motive  ?  Why  should  deep  discourage 
ment  change  suddenly  to  assured  hope  ? 

Then  again  her  manner  was  equally  inexplicable.  From 
that  same  evening  she  gave  him  more  encouragement  than 
he  had  even  hoped  to  receive  for  months,  but  yet  he  made 
no  progress.  She  seemed  to  enjoy  meeting  him,  and  con 
stantly  found  opportunity  to  do  so,  Her  eyes  were  con 
tinually  seeking  his  face,  but  there  was  something  in  her 
•  manner  in  this  respect  that  puzzled  him  more  than  any- 
\thing  else.  She  often  seemed  looking  at  his  face,  rather 
Ihaii  at  Mm.  At  first  Christine  had  been  furtive  and  care- 
lul  in  her  observations,  but  as  the  habit  grew  upon  her, 
and  her  interest  increased,  she  would  sometimes  gaze  so 
steadily  that  poor  Dennis  was  deeply  embarrassed.  Be 
coming  conscious  of  this,  she  would  herself  color  slightly, 
and  be  more  careful  for  a  time. 

In  her  eagerness  for  success,  Christine  did  not  realize 
how  dangerous  an  experiment  she  was  trying.  She  could 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  241 

not  look  upon  such  a  face  as  Dennis  Fleet's,  eloquent  with 
that  which  should  never  fail  to  touch  a  woman's  heart 
with  sympathy,  and  then  forget  it  when  she  chose.  More 
over,  though  she  knew  it  not,  in  addition  to  her  interest  in 
him  as  an  art  study,  his  strong,  positive  nature  affected 
her  cool,  negative  one  most  pleasantly.  His  earnest  mani 
fested  feeling  fell  like  sunlight  on  a  heart  benumbed  with 
cold. 

Thus,  under  the  stimulus  of  his  presence,  she  found  that 
she  could  paint  or  sketch  to  much  better  purpose  than 
when  alone.  This  knowledge  made  her  rejoice  in  secret 
over  the  opportunity  she  could  now  have,  as  Dennis  again 
assisted  her  in  hanging  pictures,  and  affixing  to  the  walls 
ornaments  of  various  kinds. 

Coming  to  him  one  morning  in  the  store,  she  said,  "  I  am 
going  to  ask  a  favor  of  you  again. ' ' 

Dennis  looked  as  if  she  were  conferring  the  greatest  of 
favors.  His  face  always  lighted  up  when  she  spoke  to 
him. 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  ask  so  pleasantly  for  what  you 
can  command,"  he  said. 

"  To  something  of  the  same  effect  you  answered  before, 
and  the  result  was  the  disagreeable  experience  at  Miss 
Brown's." 

Dennis's  brow  contracted  a  little,  but  he  said,  heroically, 
"  I  will  go  to  Miss  Brown's  again  if  you  wish  it." 

"  How  self-sacrificing  you  are  !"  she  replied,  with  a  half- 
mischievous  smile. 

' '  Not  as  much  so  as  you  imagine, ' '  he  answered,  flushing 
slightly. 

"  Well,  set  your  mind  at  rest  on  that  score.  Though  not 
very  merciful,  as  you  know,  I  would  put  no  poor  soul 
through  that  ordeal  again.  In  this  case  you  will  only  have 
to  encounter  one  of  the  tormentors  you  met  on  that  occa 
sion,  and  I  will  try  to  vouch  for  her  better  behavior." 
Then  she  added,  seriously  :  "  I  hope  you  will  not  think 


242  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

the  task  beneath  you.  You  do  not  seem  to  have  much  of 
the  foolish  pride  that  stands  in  the  way  of  so  many  Ameri 
cans,  and  then" — looking  at  him  with  a  pleading  face — 
"  I  have  so  set  my  heart  upon  it,  and  it  would  be  such  a 
disappointment  if  you  were  unwilling  !" 

"  You  need  waste  no  more  ammunition  on  one  ready  to 
surrender  at  discretion,"  he  said. 

"  Very  well ;  then  I  shall  treat  you  with  all  the  rigors 
of  a  prisoner  of  war.  I  shall  carry  you  away  captive  to 
my  new  castle  on  the  north  side,  and  put  you  at  your  old 
menial  task  of  hanging  pictures  and  decorating  in  various 
ways.  As  eastern  sovereigns  built  their  palaces  and 
adorned  their  cities  by  the  labors  of  those  whom  the  for 
tunes  of  war  threw  into  their  hands,  so  your  skill  and  taste 
shall  be  useful  to  me  ;  and  I,  your  head  task-mistress,"  she 
added,  with  her  insinuating  smile,  "will  be  ever  present 
to  see  that  there  is  no  idling,  nothing  but  monotonous  toil. 
Had  you  not  better  have  stood  longer  on  the  defensive  ?" 

Dennis  held  out  his  hands  in  mock  humility  and  said  : 
"  I  am  ready  for  my  chains.  You  shall  see  with  what 
fortitude  I  endure  my  captivity." 

"  It  is  well  that  you  should  show  it  somewhere,  for  you 
have  not  done  so  in  your  resistance.  But  I  parole  you  on 
your  honor,  to  report  at  such  times  as  I  shall  indicate  and 
papa  can  spare  you  ;"  and  with  a  smile  and  a  lingering 
look  that  seemed,  as  before,  directed  to  his  face  rather 
than  himself,  she  passed  o^t. 

That  peculiar  look  often  puzzled  him,  and  at  times  he 
would  go  to  a  glass  and  see  if  there  was  anything  wrong 
or  unusual  in  his  appearance.  But  now  his  hopes  rose 
higher  than  ever.  She  had  been  very  gracious,  certainly, 
and  invited  intimate  companionship.  Dennis  felt  that  she 
must  have  read  his  feelings  in  his  face  and  manner,  and, 
to  his  ingenuous  nature,  any  encouragement  seemed  to 
promise  all  he  hoped. 

For  a  week  after  this  he  scarcely  saw  her,  for  she  was 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  243 

very  busy  making  preliminary  arrangements  for  the  occu 
pation  of  her  new  home.  But  one  afternoon  she  suddenly 
appeared,  and  said,  with  affected  severity,  "  Report  to 
morrow  at  nine  A.M." 

Dennis  bowed  humbly.  She  gave  him  a  pleasant  smile 
over  her  shoulder,  and  passed  away  as  quickly  as  she  had 
come.  It  seemed  like  a  vision 'to  him,  and  only  a  trace  of 
her  favorite  perfume  (which  indeed  ever  seemed  more  an 
atmosphere  than  a  perfume)  remained  as  evidence  that  she 
had  been  there. 

At  five  minutes  before  the  time  on  the  following  day  he 
appeared  at  the  new  Ludolph  mansion.  From  an  open 
window  Christine  beckoned  him  to  enter,  and  welcomed 
him  with  characteristic  words, — "  In  view  of  your  foolish 
surrender  to  my  power,  remembcj  that  you  have  nerights 
that  I  am  bound  to  respect." 

"  I  throw  myself  on  your  mercy." 

"I  have  already  told  you  that  I  do  not  possess  that 
trait  ;  so  prepare  for  the  worst." 

She  was  dressed  in  some  light  summer  fabric,  and  her 
rounded  arms  and  neck  were  partially  bare.  She  looked 
so  white  and  cool,  so  self-possessed,  and,  with  all  her 
smiles,  so  devoid  of  warm  human  feeling,  that  Dennis  felt* 
a  sudden  chill  at  heart.  The  ancient  fable  of  the  sirens 
occurred  to  him.  Might  she  not  be  luring  him  on  to  his  \ 
own  destruction  ?  At  times  he  almost  hoped  that  she  loved 
him  ;  again,  something  in  her  manner  caused  him  to  doubt 
everything.  But  there  were  not,  as  in  the  case  of  Ulysses 
and  his  crew,  friendly  hands  to  bind  and  restrain,  or  to 
put  wax  in  his  ears,  and  soon  the  music  of  her  voice,  the 
strong  enchantment  of  the  love  she  had  inspired,  banished 
all  thought  of  prudence.  His  passion  was  now  becoming 
a  species  of  intoxication,  a  continued  and  feverish  excite 
ment,  and  its  influence  was  unhappy  on  mind  and  body. 
There  was  no  rest,  peace,  or  assurance  in  it,  and  the  uncer 
tainty,  the  tantalizing  inability  to  obtain  a  definite  satisfy- 


244  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

ing  word,  and  yet  the  apparent  nearness  of  the  prize,  wore 
upon  him.  Sometimes,  when  late  at  night  he  sat  brooding 
over  his  last  interview,  weighing  with  the  nice  scales  of  a 
lover's  anxiety  her  every  look  and  even  accent,  his  own 
haggard  face  would  startle  him. 

Then  again  her  influence  was  not  morally  good,  and  his 
interest  declined  in  everything  save  what  was  connected 
with  her. 

Conscience  at  times  told  him  that  he  was  more  bent  on 
gaining  her  love  for  himself  than  in  winning  it  for  God. 
He  satisfied  himself  by  trying  to  reason  that  when  he  had 
won  her  affection  his  power  for  good  would  be  greater, 
and  thus,  while  he  ever  sought  to  look  and  suggest  his 
own  love  in  nameless  little  ways,  he  made  less  and  less 
effort  to  remind  her  of  a  .better  love  than  even  his.  More 
over,  she  never  encouraged  any  approach  to  sacred  themes, 
sometimes  repelling  it  decidedly,  and  so,  though  he  would 
scarcely  acknowledge  it,  the  traitorous  fear  sprung  up, 
that  in  speaking  of  God's  love  he  might  mar  his  chances  of 
speaking  of  his  own. 

^-~  In  the  retirement  of  his  own  room,  his  reveries  grew 
(  longer,  and  his^i^y^s_jliorter_and  less  inspired  by  faith 
and^earnestness.  At  the  mission  sclTfroi;  3  uale^-Winthrop 
noticed  with  regret  that  the  lesson  was  often  given  in  a 
listless,  preoccupied  manner ;  and  even  the  little  boys 
themselves  missed  something  in  the  teacher  once  so  inter 
esting  and  animated.  From  witnessing  his  manner  when 
with  Christine,  Miss  Winthrop  had  more  than  suspected 
nts  secret  for  some  time,  and  she  felt  at  first  a  genuine 
sympathy  for  him,  believing  his  lore  to  be  hopeless.  From 
the  first  she  had  found  Dennis  very  fascinating,  but  when 
she  read  his  secret  in  his  ardent  glances  toward  Christine, 
she  became  conscious  that  her  interest  was  rather  greater 
than  passing  acquaintance  warranted,  and,  like  the  good, 
sensible  girl  that  she  was,  fought  to  the  death  the  incipient 
fancy.  At  first  she  felt  that  he  ought  to  know  that  Chris- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  245 

tine  was  pledged  to  a  future  that  would  render  his  love 
vain.  But  her  own  feelings  made  her  so  exceedingly  sensi 
tive  that  it  was  impossible  to  attempt  so  difficult  and  deli 
cate  a  task.  Then,  as  Christine  seemed  to  smile  upon  him, 
she  said  to  herself  :  "  After  all,  .what  is  their  plan,  but  a 
plan,  and  to  me  a  very  chimerical  one  ?  Perhaps  Mr. 
Fleet  can  give  Christine  a  far*  better  chance  of  happiness 
than  her  father's  ambition.  And,  after  all,  these  are  mat 
ters  in  which  no  third  person  can  interfere."  So,  while 
remaining  as  cordial  as  ever,  she  prudently  managed  to  see 
very  little  of  Dennis. 

As  we  have  seen,  under  Christine's  merry  and  half- 
bantering  words  (a  style  of  conversation  often  assumed 
with  him),  even  the  thought  of  caution  vanished.  She 
led  him  over  the  moderately  large  and  partially  furnished 
house.  There  were  women  cleaning,  and  mechanics  at 
work  on  some  of  the  rooms.  As  they  passed  along  she  ex 
plained  the  nature  of  the  decorations  she  wished.  They 
consisted  largely  of  rich  carvings  in  wood,  and  unique 
frames. 

"  I  wish  you  to  help  me  design  these,  and  see  that  they 
are  properly  put  up,  and  to  superintend  the  fresco-painters 
and  mechanics  in  general.  Indeed,  I  think  you  are  more 
truly  my  prime-minister  than  my  captive." 

"  Not  less  your  captive,"  said  Dennis,  with  a  flush. 

She  gave  him  a  bewildering  smile,  and  then  studied  its 
effect  upon  him.  He  was  in  Elysium,  and  his  eyes  glowed 
with  delight  at  her  presence  and  the  prospect  before  him. 
At  last  she  led  him  into  two  large  apartments  on  the  second 
floor  that  opened  into  each  other,  and  said,  "  These  are 
my  rooms  ;  that  yonder  is  my  studio,"  as  was  evident  from 
the  large  easel  with  canvas  prepared  upon  it. 

They  at  once  had  to  Dennis  all  the  sacredness  of  a  shrine. 

"  I  intend  to  make  these  rooms  like  two  beautiful  pic 
tures,"  said  Christine,  "  and  here  shall  be  the  chief  display 
of  your  taste." 


246  BARRIERS  BURS  ED  AWAY. 

Dennis  could  scarcely  believe  his  ears,  or  realize  that 
the  cold,  beautiful  girl  who  a  few  short  months  ago  did 
not  notice  him  now  voluntarily  gave  him  such  opportuni 
ties  to  urge  his  suit.  The  success  that  a  man  most  covets 
seemed  assured,  and  his  soul  was  intoxicated  with  delight. 
He  said,  "  You  intimated  that  my  tasks  might  be  menial, 
but  I  feel  as  I  imagine  a  Greek  artist  must  have  done, 
when  asked  to  decorate  the  temple  of  a  goddess." 

"  I  think  I  told  you  once  before  that  your  imagination 
overshadowed  your  other  faculties." 

Her  words  recalled  the  painted  girl  whom  she  by  a 
strange  coincidence  so  strongly  resembled.  To  his  aston 
ishment  he  saw  the  same  striking  likeness  again.  Chris 
tine  was  looking  at  him  with  the  laughing,  scornful  expres 
sion  that  the  German  lady  bent  upon  the  awkward  lover 
who  knelt  at  her  feet.  His  face  darkened  in  an  instant. 

"Have  I  offended  you?"  she  asked,  gently;  "  I  re 
member  now  you  did  not  admire  that  picture." 

"  I  liked  everything  about  it  save  the  expression  of  the 
girl's  face.  I  think  you  will  also  remember  that  I  said 
that  such  a  face  should  be  put  to  nobler  uses." 

Christine  flushed  slightly,  and  for  a  moment  was  posi 
tively  afraid  of  him.  She  saw  that  she  must  be  more 
careful,  for  she  was  dealing  with  one  of  quick  eye  and 
mind.  At  the  same  time  her  conscience  reproached  her 
again.  The  more  she  saw  of  him  the  more  she  realized 
how  sincere  and  earnest  he  was  ;  how  different  from  ordi 
nary  society-men,  to  whom  an  unsuccessful  suit,  lo  a  fair 
lady  is  a  mere  annoyance.  But  she  was  not  one  to  give 
up  a  purpose  readily  for  the  sake  of  conscience  or  anything 
else,  and  certainly  not  now,  when  seemingly  on  the  point 
of  success.  So  she  said,  with  a  slight  laugh,  "Do  not 
compare  me  to  any  of  those  old  pagan  myths  again  ;r>  and 
having  thus  given  a  slight  reason,  or  excuse,  for  her  un 
fortunate  expression,  she  proceeded  to  beguile  him  more 
thoroughly  than  ever  by  the  subtile  witchery  of  smiles, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  247 

glances,  and  words,  that  might  mean  everything  or  noth- 
ing. 

"  You  seem  to  have  a  study  on  your  easel  there,"  said 
Dennis,  as  they  stood  together  in  the  studio.  ' '  May  I  see  it  ?' ' 

"  No,"  said  she  ;  "  you  are  to  see  nothing  till  you  see  a 
triumph  in  the  portrayal  of  feeling  and  life-like  earnestness 
that  even  your  critical  eye  cannot  condemn." 

She  justly  feared  that,  should  he  see  her  work,  he  might 
discover  her  plan  ;  for,  however  she  might  disguise  it, 
something  suggesting  himself  entered  into  all  her  studies. 

"  I  hope  you  will  succeed,  but  doubt  it." 

"  Why  ?"  she  asked,  quickly. 

"  Because  we  cannot  portray  what  we  cannot  feel.  The 
stream  cannot  rise  higher  than  its  fountain."  Then  he 
added,  with  heightened  color  and  some  hesitation,  "  I  fear 
— your  heart  is  still  sleeping  ;"  and  he  watched  with  deep 
anxiety  how  she  would  take  the  questioning  remark. 

A*  first  she  flushed  almost  angrily  ;  but,  recovering  self- 
possession  in  a  moment,  she  threw  upon  him  an  arch  smile, 
suggesting  all  that  a  lover  could  wish,  and  said  :  "Be 
careful,  Mr.  Fleet ;  you  are  seeking  to  penetrate  mysteries 
that  we  most  jealously  guard.  You  know  that  in  the 
ancient  temple  there  was  an  inner  sanctuary  which  none 
might  enter." 

",Yes,  one  might,"  said  Dennis,  significantly. 

With  her  long  lashes  she  veiled  the  dark  blue  eyes  that 
expressed  anything  but  tender  feeling,  and  yet,  so  shaded, 
they  appeared  as  a  lover  would  wish,  and  in  a  low  tone 
she  answered,  "  Well,  he  could  not  enter  when  he  would, 
only  when  permitted." 

She  raised  her  eyes  quickly  to  see  the  effect  ;  and  she 
•did  see  an  effect  that  she  would  have  given  thousands  to 
be  able  to  transfer  to  canvas. 

His  face,  above  all  she  had  ever  seen,  seemed  designed  to 
express  feeling,  passion  ;  and  his  wearing  life  had  made  it 
so  thin,  and  his  eyes  were  so  large  and  lustrous,  that  the 


248  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.* 

spiritual  greatly  predominated,  and  she  felt  as  if  she  could 
almost  see  the  throbs  of  the  strong,  passionate  heart. 

Apart  from  her  artistic  purposes,  contact  with  such  warm, 
intense  life  had  for  Christine  a  growing  fascination.  She 
had  not  realized  that  in  kindling  and  fanning  this  flame  of 
honest  love  to  sevenfold  power  and  heat,  she  might  be 
kindled  herself.  When,  therefore,  she  saw  the  face  of 
Dennis  Fleet  eloquent  with  the  deepest,  strongest  feeling 
that  human  features  can  portray,  another  chord  than  the 
artistic  one  was  touched,  and  there  was  a  low,  faint  trill 
of  that  music  which  often  becomes  the  sweetest  harmony 
of  life. 

"  And  at  some  time  in  the  future  may  I  hope  to  enter  ?" 
he  asked,  tremulously. 

She  threw  him  another  smile  over  her  shoulder  as  she 
turned  to  her  easel,— a  smile  that  from  a  true  woman  would 
mean,  You  may,  but  which  from  many  would  mean  noth 
ing,  and  said,  vaguely,  "  What  is  life  without  hope  ?"  and 
then,  as  matters  were  going  too  fast  and  far,  decisively 
changed  the  subject. 

Seated  at  her  easel  she  painted  eagerly  and  rapidly,  while 
he  measured  the  space  over  and  around  the  fireplace  with  a 
view  to  its  ornamentation.  She  kept  the  conversation  on 
the  general  subject  of  art,  and,  though  Dennis  knew  it  not, 
every  glance  at  his  face  was  that  of  a  portrait-painter. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

BITTER  DISAPPOINTMENT. 


DENNIS  went  back  to  the  store  in  a  maze  of  hopes  and 
fears,  but  hope  predominated.  Christine  could  not  be 
indifferent  and  treat  him  as  she  did,  if  she  had  a  particle  of 
sincerity,  and  with  a  lover's  faith  he  would  not  believe  her 
false,  though  he  knew  her  to  be  so  faulty. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  249 

"  At  any  rate,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  in  this  new  arrange 
ment  I  have  all  the  opportunity  a  man  could  ask,  and  if 
I  cannot  develop  her  plainly  manifested  interest  into  some 
thing  more. decisive  by  such  companionship,  I  may  as  well 
despair  ;"  and  he  determined  to  avail  himself  of  every 
advantage  within  his  reach  in  making  the  most  of  what  he 
deemed  a  rare  stroke  of  fortune.  His  greatly  increased 
salary  enabled  him  to  dress,  with  that  taste  and  even  ele 
gance  so  pleasing  to  a  lady's  eye,  and  he  had  withal  ac 
quired  that  ease  and  grace  of  manner  which  familiarity 
with  the  best  society  bestows. 

It  is  also  well  to  tell  the  reader  that  after  some  hesitation 
Dennis  had  confided  his  feelings  to  his  mother,  and  re 
ceived  from  her  the  warmest  sympathy.  To  Ethel  Fleet's 
unworldly  nature,  that  he  should  fall  in  love  with  and 
marry  his  employer's  daughter  seemed  eminently  fitting, 
with  just  a  spice  of  beautiful  romance.  And  it  was  her 
son's  happiness  and  Christine's  beauty  that  she  thought  of, 
not  Mr.  Ludolph's  money.  In  truth,  such  was  her  admira 
tion  for  her  son,  she  felt  that  with  all  her  wealth  the  young 
lady  would  receive  a  greater  honor  than  she  conferred. 
Though  Dennis  wrote  with  the  partiality  of  a  lover,  he 
could  not  so  portray  Christine's  character  but  that  his 
mother  felt  the  deepest  anxiety,  and  often  sighed  in  sad 
foreboding  of  serious  trouble  in  the  future. 

From  Mrs.  Fleet's  knowledge  of  her  son's  passion,  Chris 
tine,  though  she  knew  it  not,  received  another  advantage 
of  incalculable  value.  Dennis  had  painted  an  excellent 
little  cabinet  likeness  of  her,  and  sent  it  to  his  mother.  In 
the  quiet  of  the  night  she  would  sit  down  before  that  pic 
ture,  and  by  her  strong  imagination  summon  her  ideal  of 
Christine,  and  then  lead  her  directly  to  Christ,  as  parents 
brought  their  children  of  old.  Could  such  prayers  and 
faith  be  in  vain  ?  Faith  is  often  sorely  tried  in  this  world, 
but  never  tried  in  vain. 

Day  after  day  Dennis  went  to  Mr.  Ludolph's  new  home 


250  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

during  the  morning  hours,  and  Christine's  spell  worked 
with  bewildering  and  increasing  power.  While  she  tor 
tured  him  with  many  doubts  and  fears,  his  hope  grew  to 
be  almost  a  certainty  that  he  had  at  last  made  a  place  for 
himself  in  her  heart. "  Sometimes  the  whole  story  of  his 
love  trembled  on  his  lips,  but  she  never  permitted  its  utter 
ance.  That  she  determined  should  be  reserved  for  the 
climax.  He  usually  met  her  alone,  but  noticed  that  in  the 
presence  of  others  she  was  cool  and  undemonstrative^  Mr. 
Ludolph  rarely  saw  them  together,  and,  when  he  did,  there 
was  nothing  in  his  daughter's  manner  to  awaken  suspicion. 
This  perfectly  acted  indifference  in  the  presence  of  others, 
and  equally  well  acted  regard  when  alone,  often  puzzled 
Dennis  sorely.  But  at  last  he  concluded  :  "  She  is  wiser 
than  I.  She  knows  that  I  am  in  no  condition  now  to  make 
proposals  for  her  hand  ;  therefore  it  is  better  that  there 
should  be  no  recognized  understanding  between  us  ;"  and 
he  resolved  to  be  as  prudent  as  she.  Then  again  she  would 
so  awaken  his  jealousy  and  fears  that  he  would  feel  that 
he  must  know  his  fate,— that  anything  was  better  than 
such  torturing  uncertainty. 

As  for  Christine,  two  processes  were  going  on  in  her 
mind, — one  that  she  recognized,  and  one  that  she  did  not. 

Her  artistic  aims  were  clear  and  definite.  In  the  first 
place  she  meant  perfectly  to  master  the  human  face  as  it 
expressed  emotions,  especially  such  as  were  of  a  tender 
nature  ;  and  in  the  second  place  she  intended  to  paint  a 
picture  that  in  itself  would  make  her  famous.  She  chose 
a  most  difficult  and  delicate  subject, — of  the  character  she 
had  ever  failed  in, — a  declaration  of  love. 

When  Dennis  began  to  work  again  in  her  presence,  the 
picture  was  well  advanced. 

In  a  grand  old  hall,  whose  sides  were  decorated  with 
armor  and  weapons,  a  young  man  stood  pleading  his  cause 
with  a  lady  whose  hand  he  held.  The  young  girl's  face 
was  so  averted  that  only  a  beautiful  profile  was  visible, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  251 

but  her  form  and  attitude  were  grace  itself.  The  lovers 
stood  in  an  angle  of  the  hall  near  an  open  window,  through 
which  was  seen  a  fine  landscape,  a  picture  within  a  pic 
ture.  But  Christine  meant  to  concentrate  all  her  power 
and  skill  on  the  young  knight's  face.  This  should  be  elo 
quent  with  all  the  feeling  and  passion  that  the  human  face 
Could  express,  and  she  would, insure  its  truthfulness  to  life 
by  copying  life  itself ,— the  reality.  Dennis  Fleet  was  the  hu 
man  victim  that  she  was  offering  on  the  altar  of  her  ambition. 

Much  of  the  picture  was  merely  in  outline,  but  she 
finished  the  form  and  features  of  the  suppliant  in  all  save 
the  expression,  and  this  she  meant  to  paint  from  his  face 
whenever  she  was  in  the  right  mood  and  could  bring  mat 
ters  to  a  crisis. 

After  he  had  been  coming  to  the  house  two  or  three 
times  a  week  for  nearly  a  month,  she  felt  that  she  was 
ready  for  the  final  scene,  and  yet  she  dreaded  it,  she  had 
staked  so  much  hope  upon  it.  It  also  provoked  her  to  find 
that  she  was  really  afraid  of  him.  His  was  such  a  strong, 
sincere  nature,  that  she  felt  increasingly  the  wrong  of 
trifling  with  it.  In  vain  she  tried  to  quiet  herself  by  say 
ing,  "  I  do  not  care  a  straw  for  him,  and  he  will  soon  get 
over  his  infatuation  on  discovering  the  truth." 

But  she  had  a  lesson  to  learn  as  wTell  as  he,  for  as  we 
have  intimated,  unrecognized  as  yet,  there  was  a  process 
going  on  in  her  mind  that  in  time  would  make  strange 
havoc  in  her  cold  philosophy.  Her  heart's  long  winter 
was  slowly  breaking  up  ;  her  girlish  passion,  intense  as  it 
was  foolish,  proved  that  she  had  a  heart.  Everything  had 
been  against  her.  Everything  in  her  experience  and  edu 
cation,  and  especially  in  her  father's  strong  character  and 
prejudices,  had  combined  to  deaden  and  to  chill  her  ;  and 
had  these  influences  continued,  she  would  undoubtedly 
have  become  as  cold  and  hard  as  some  whom  we  find  in 
advanced  life  with  natures  like  the  poles,  where  the  ice 
gathers  year  after  year,  but  never  melts. 


252  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

But  in  Dennis  Fleet  she  met  a  nature  as  positive  as  she 
was  becoming  negative.  He  was  so  warm  and  earnest 
that  when  she  commenced  tc  fan  his  love  into  a  stronger 
flame  for  purely  artistic  purj.  uses,  as  she  vowed  to  herself, 
some  sparks  of  the  sacred  fire  fell  on  the  cold  altar  of  her 
own  heart  and  slowly  began  to  kindle. 

But  this  awakening  would  not  now  be  that  of  a  child, 
but  of  a  woman.  Therefore,  Mr.  Ludolph,  beware  ! 

But  she  had  yet  much  to  learn  in  the  hard,  strange 
school  of  experience  before  she  would  truly  know  herself 
or  her  own  needs. 

Success  in  art,  however,  was  still  her  ruling  passion. 
And  though  strange  misgivings  annoyed  and  perplexed 
her,  though  her  respect  for  Dennis  daily  increased,  and  at 
times  a  sudden  pity  and  softness  made  her  little  hands 
hesitate  before  giving  an  additional  wrench  to  the  rack  of 
uncertainty  upon  which  she  kept  him  ;  still,  she  would 
not  for  the  world  have  abandoned  her  purpose,  and  such 
compunctions  were  as  yet  but  the  little  back  eddies  of  the 
strong  current. 

One  day,  in  the  latter  part  of  August,  Christine  felt  her 
self  in  the  mood  to  give  the  finishing  touch  to  the  principal 
figure  in  her  picture.  The  day  was  somewhat  hazy,  the 
light  subdued  and  favorable  for  artistic  work.  Though 
she  had  prolonged  Dennis's  labors,  to  his  secret  delight 
and  great  encouragement,  she  could  not  keep  him  em 
ployed  much  longer. 

She  sent  for  him  to  come  over  in  the  afternoon.  "  Some 
brackets,  carvings,  and.  pictures  had  come  for  her  studio, 
and  she  wished  him  to  put  them  up,"  she  said,  coolly,  as 
he  entered. 

He  had  come  glowing  with  hope  and  almost  assurance, 
for,  the  last  time  they  had  parted,  she  had  dismissed  him 
with  unusual  kindness.  But  here  was  one  of  those  capri 
cious  changes  again  that  he  could  not  understand. 

She  took  her  seat  at  her  easel,  saying,  with  a  nod  and  a 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY  253 

smile,  "  I  can  direct  you  here,  for  I  am  in  a  mood  for  work 
this  afternoon. ' ' 

He  bowed  quietly  and  went  on  with  his  task.  Her 
rather  cool  reception  oppressed  him,  and  the  tormenting 
question  presented  itself,  for  the  hundredth  time,  "  Can 
she  in  any  degree  feel  as  I  do  ?"  He  longed  to  settle  the 
matter  by  plain,  straightforward  action. 

Her  maid  knocked  at  the  door,  saying,  "The  mail, 
mademoiselles" 

A  dainty  note  was  handed  her,  which  seemed  decidedly 
pleasing,  and  Dennis  noticed  as  she  read  it  that  she  wore 
on  her  finger  a  solitaire  diamond  that  he  had  not  seen 
before.  His  latent  jealousy  was  aroused.  She  saw  that 
her  spell  was  working,  and  smiled.  Soon  she  said  :  "  Mr. 
Fleet,  you  seem  very  grave.  What  is  the  matter  ?" 

He  answered,  curtly,  "  Nothing." 

She  looked  at  him  with  a  pretty,  pained  surprise.  At 
the  same  time  her  heart  smote  her.  His  face  was  so  pale 
and  thin,  and  indicated  such  real  suffering,  that  she  pitied 
him  more  than  ever.  But  she  would  have  suffered  much 
herself  for  the  sake  of  success,  and  she  was  not  one  to 
hesitate  long  over  the  suffering  of  another.  She  com 
pressed  her  lips  as  she  said,  mentally  :  "  Art  is  first,  arid 
these  transient  feelings  are  secondary.  There  is  little  in 
the  world  but  that  has  cost  same  one  deeply."  She  did 
not  know  how  profound  a  truth  this  was. 

After  a  few  moments  Dennis  said,  in  a  tone  that  had  a 
jealous  tinge,  "  Miss  Ludolph,  your  correspondent  seems 
to  interest  you  deeply." 

"  And  you  also,  I  think,"  she  replied,  with  an  arch  smile  ; 
"  and  you  will  be  interested  still  more  when  you  have  read 
this  ;"  and  she  offered  him  the  note. 

"I  have  no  right, — do  not  think  me  prying,"  said  he, 
flushing. 

"  I  give  the  right.  You  know  a  lady  can  give  many 
rights— if  she  chooses,"  she  added,  significantly. 


254  BARRIERS  BURNED 


He  looked  at  her  eagerly. 

Her  eyes  fell  consciously,  and  her  cheeks  glowed  with 
excitement,  for  she  felt  that  the  critical  moment  had  come. 
But  instantly  her  proud,  resolute  nature  aroused  as  never 
before,  and  she  determined  to  make  the  most  of  the  occa 
sion,  let  the  consequences  be  what  they  might.  Therefore 
she  worked  eagerly  and  watched  him  closely.  Never  had 
she  been  so  conscious  of  power.  She  felt  inspired,  capable 
of  placing  on  the  canvas  anything  she  chose.  If  in  this 
mood  she  could  succeed  in  bringing  into  his  face  just  the 
expression  she  desired,  she  could  catch  it  and  fix  it  forever,^ 
and  with  it  make  a  laurel  (not  a  hymeneal)  wreath  for  her 
own  brow.  But  what  could  Dennis  know  of  all  this  ?  To 
him  the  glowing  cheek  and  eyes  so  lustrous  told  a  different 
tale  ;  and  hope—  sweet,  exquisite,  almost  assured  —  sprung 
up  in  his  heart. 

And  he  meant  that  it  should  be  assured.  He  would 
ripeak  that  day  if  it  were  possible,  and  know  his  happiness, 
instead  of  fondly  believing  and  hoping  that  all  was  sure. 
Then  he  would  be  as  prudent  and  patient  as  she  desired. 
Thus  Christine  was  destined  to  have  her  wish  fulfilled. 

She  continued  :  "  The  note  is  from  a  special  friend  of 
yours  ;  indeed  I  think  you  form  a  little  mutual-admiration 
society,  and  you  are  spoken  of,  so  I  think  you  had  better 
read  it.  '  ' 

"  I  shall  not  read  the  note,"  said  Dennis  ;  "  but  you  may 
tell  me,  if  you  choose,  what  you  think  the  writer  will  have 
no  objection  to  my  knowing." 

"  And  do  you  mean  to  suggest  that  you  do  not  know 
who  wrote  the  note  ?  I  can  inform  you  that  you  are  to  be 
invited  to  a  moonlight  sail  and  musicale  on  the  water.  Is 
not  that  a  chance  for  romance  ?" 

"  And  will  you  go  ?"  asked  Dennis,  eagerly. 

"  Yes,  if  you  will,"  she  said,  in  a  low  tone,  giving  him  a 
sidelong  glance. 

This  was  too  much  for  Dennis,  the  manner  more  tha» 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  255 

the  words,  and  taken  together  they  would  hare  led  any 
earnest  man  to  committal.  He  was  about  to  speak  eagerly, 
but  she  was  not  quite  ready. 

"  Moreover,"  she  continued,  quickly,  while  Dennis  stood 
before  her  with  cheeks  alternately  hot  and  pale,  "this 
special  friend  who  invites  you  will  be  there.  Now  don't 
pretend  ignorance  of  her  name." 

"  I  suppose  you  mean  Miss  Winthrop,"  said  Dennis, 
flushing. 

"  Ah,  you  blush,  do  you  ?  Well,  it  is  my  turn  to  ask 
pardon  for  seeming  curiosity. ' ' 

He  drew  a  few  steps  nearer  to  her,  and  the  expression 
she  had  so  longed  to  see  came  into  his  face.  She  looked  at 
him  earnestly  with  her  whole  soul  in  her  eyes.  She  would 
photograph  hinvon  memory,  if  possible.  For  a  moment 
or  two  he  hesitated,  embarrassed  by  her  steady  gaze,  and 
seemingly  at  a  loss  for  words.  Then,  in  a  low,  deep  tone 
he  said,  "  You.,  better  than  any  one,  know  that  I  have  no 
cause  to  blush  at  the  mention  of  Miss  Winthrop's  name." 

She  did  not  answer,  but  was  painting  rapidly.  He 
thought  this  was  due  to  natural  excitement  expressing 
itself  in  nervous  action.  But  she  did  not  discourage  him, 
and  this  he  felt  was  everything.  With  his  heart  in  his  eyes 
and  tones,  he  said  :  "  O  Christine,  what  is  the  use  of  wear 
ing  this  transparent  mask  any  longer  ?  Your  quick  wom 
an's  eye  has  seen  for  weeks  the  devoted  love  I  cherish  for 
you.  I  have  heard  much  of  woman's  intuitions.  Perhaps 
you  saw  my  love  before  I  recognized  it  myself,  si  ace  your 
grace  and  beauty  caused  it  to  grow  unconsciously  while 
I  was  your  humble  attendant.  But,  Christine,  believe  me, 
if  you  will  but  utter  in  words  what  I  fondly  believe  I  have 
read  in  your  kindly  glances  and  manner,  though  so  deli 
cately  veiled, — if  you  will  give  me  the  strength  and  rest 
which  come  of  assured  hope, — I  know  that  not  far  in  the 
future  I  shall  be  able  to  place  at  j'our  feet  more  than  mere 
wealth.  I.  too,  hope  to  be  an  artist,  and  you  have  been 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


my  chief  inspiration.  I  could  show  you  a  picture  now  that 
would  tell  more  of  what  I  mean  than  can  my  poor  words. 
There  is  a  richer  and  happier  world  than  you  have  yet 
known,  and  oh,  how  I  have  prayed  that  I  might  lead  you 
into  it  !"  and  in  words  of  burning  eloquence  he  proceeded 
to  tell  the  story  of  his  love. 

She  heard  him  as  in  a  dream.  She  understood  his  words,  •• 
remembered  them  afterward,  but  so  intent  was  she  on  her 
darling  purpose  that  she  heeded  them  not.  His  voice 
sounded  far  away,  and  every  power  of  mind  and  body  was 
concentrated  to  transfer  his  expression  to  the  canvas  before 
her.  Even  he,  blinded  as  he  was  by  his  emotions,  occu 
pied  by  the  long  pent-up  torrent  of  feeling  that  he  was 
pouring  into  her  unheeding  ear,  wondered  at  her  strange, 
dazzling  beauty  and  peculiar  manner. 

After  speaking  a  moment  or  two,  the  blur  over  his  ey^es 
and  the  confusion  of  his  mind  began  to  pass  away,  and  het 
was  perplexed  beyond  measure  at  the  way  she  was  receiving 
the  open  declaration  of  his  love.  She  was  painting  through 
it  all,  not  with  tlie  nervous,  random  stroke  of  one  who 
sought  to  hide  excitement  and  embarrassment  in  occupa 
tion.  She  was  working  earnestly,  consciously,  with  pjre-  " 
cisiou,  and,  what  was  strangest  of  all,  she  seemed  so  intent 
upon  his  face  that  his  words,  which  would  have  been  such 
music  to  any  woman  that  loved,  were  apparently  unheard. 
He  stopped,  but  the  break  in  his  passionate  flow  of  lan 
guage  was  urmoted. 

"  Christine,  listen  to  me  !"  he  cried,  in  an  agony  of  fear 
and  perplexity.  The  tone  of  his  appeal  might  have  stirred 
a  marble  bosom  to  pity,  but  she  only  raised  her  left  hand 
deprecatingly  as  if  warding  off  an  interruption,  while  she 
worked  with  intense  eagerness  with  her  right. 

"-'  Christine  !"  a  frown  contracted  her  brow  for  a  second, 
but  she  worked  on. 

He  looked  at  her  as  if  fearing  she  had  lost  her  reason, 
but  there  was  no  madness  in  her  swift,  intelligent  strokes. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  257 

Tiien  like  a  flash  the  thought  came  to  him  :  "It  is  my 
face,  not  myself,  that  she  wants  1  This,  then,  has  been  the 
secret  of  her  new  hope  as  an  artist.  She  would  not  feel, 
as  .1  told  her  she  must,  but  she  would  call  out  and  copy  my 
emotion  ;  and  this  scene,  which  means  life  or  death  to  me, 
is  to  her  but  a  lesson  in  art,  and  I  am  no  more  than  the 
human  subject  under  the  surgeon's  knife.  But  surely  no 
anatomist  is  so  cruel  as  to  put  in  his  lancet  before  the  man 
is  dead." 

Every  particle  of  color  receded  from  his  face,  and  he 
watched  her  manner  for  the  confirmation  of  his  thought. 

Her  face  was  indeed  a  study.  A  beautiful  smile  parted 
her  lips,  her  eyes  glowed  with  the  exultation  of  assured 
and  almost  accomplished  success,  and  she  looked  like  an 
inspired  priestess  at  a  Greek  oracle.  * 

But  a  bitterness  beyond  words  was  filling  his  heart. 

A  few  more  skilful  strokes,  and  she  threw  down  her 
brush,  crying  in  ecstatic  tones,  "  Eureka  !  Eureka  !"  as 
she  stood  before  the  painting  in  rapt  admiration.  In  an 
instant  he  stood  by  her  side.  With  all  the  pride  of  triumph 
she  pointed  to  the  picture,  and  said  :  "  Criticise  that,  if 
you  can  !  Deny  that  there  is  soul,  life,  feeling  there,  if 
you  dare  !  Is  that  painting  but  a  '  beautiful  corpse  '  ?" 

Dennis  saw  a  figure  and  features  suggesting  his  own, 
pleading  with  all  the  eloquence  of  true  love  before  the 
averted  face  of  the  maiden  in  the  picture.  It  was  indeed 
a  triumph,  having  all  the  power  of  the  reality. 

He  passed  his  hand  quickly  across  his  forehead,  as  if  to 
repel  some  terrible  delusion,  while  yet  he  whispered  its 
reality  to  himself,  in  silent,  despairing  confession  :  "  Ah, 
my  God  !  How  cold  she  must  be  when  she  can  see  any 
one  look  like  that,  and  yet  copy  the  expression  as  from  a 
painted  face  upon  the  wall  !" 

Then,  his  own  pride  and  indignation  rising,  he  deter 
mined  at  once  to  know  the  truth  ;  whether  he  held  any  place 
hi  her  heart,  or  whether  the  picture  was  all,  and  he  nothing. 


258  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

Drawing  a  step  nearer,  as  if  to  examine  more  closely,  he 
seized  a  brush  of  paint  and  drew  it  over  the  face  that  had 
cost  both  him  and  Christine  so  much,  and  then  turned  and 
looked  at  her. 

For  a  moment  she  stood  paralyzed,  so  great  seemed  the 
disaster.  Then  she  turned  on  him  in  fury.  "  How  dare 
you  !"  she  exclaimed. 

Only  equal  anger,  and  the  consciousness  of  right,  could 
have  sustained  any  man  undfcr  the  lightning  of  her  eyes. 

"  Rather,  let  me  ask,  how  dare  you  ?"  he  replied,  in  the 
deep,  concentrated  voice  of  passion  ;  and  lover  and  lady 
stood  before  the  ruined"  picture  with  blazing  eyes.  In  the 
same  low,  stern  voice  he  continued,  "I  see  the  secret  of 
your  artistic  hope  now,  Miss  Ludolph,  but  permit  me  to 
say  that  you  have  made  your  first  and  last  success,  and 
there  in  that  black  stain,  most  appropriately  black,  is  the 
result." 

She  looked  as  if  she  could  have  torn  him  to  atoms. 

"You  have  been  false,"  he  continued.  "You  have 
acted  a  lie  before  me  for  weeks.  You  have  deceived  in 
that  which  is  most  sacred,  and  with  sacrilegious  hands 
have  trifled  with  that  which  every  true  man  regards  as 
holy." 

She  trembled  beneath  his  stern,  accusing  words.  Con 
science  echoed  them,  anger  and  courage  were  fast  deserting 
her  in  the  presence  of  the  aroused  and  more  powerful 
spirit  of  her  wronged  lover.  But  she  said,  petulantly, 
"  Nonsense  !  You  know  well  that  half  the  ladies  of  the 
city  would  have  flirted  with  you  from  mere  vanity  and 
love  of  power  ;  my  motive  was  infinitely  beyond  this." 

Until  now  this  had  almost  seemed  sufficient  reason  to 
excuse  her  action,  but  she  distrusted  it  even  to  loathing- 
as  she  saw  the  look  of  scorn  come  out  on  his  noble  face. 

"  And  is  that  your  best  plea  for  falsehood  ?  A  moment 
since  I  loved  you  with  a  devotion  that  you  will  never 
receive  again.  But  now  I  despise  you. " 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  259 

"  Sir  !"  she  cried,  her  face  scarlet  with  shame  and  anger, 
"leave  this  room  !" 

"  Yes,  in  a  moment,  and  never  again  to  enter  it  while 
Christine  Ludolph  is  as  false  in  character  as  she  is  beautiful 
in  person.  But  before  I  go,  you,  in  your  pride  and  luxury, 
shall  hear  the  truth  for  once.  Not  only  have  you  been 
,  false,  but  you  have  been  what  no  true  woman  ever  can  be, 
— cruel  as  death.  Your  pencil  has  been  a  stiletto  with 
which  you  have  slowly  felt  for  my  heart.  You  have 
dipped  your  brush  in  human  suffering  as  if  it  were  common 
paint.  Giotto  stabbed  a  man  and  mercifully  took  him  off 
by  a  few  quick  pangs,  that  he  might  paint  his  dying  look. 
You,  more  cruel,  accomplish  your  purpose  by  slow,  re 
morseless  torture.  Merciful  Heaven  only  knows  what  I 
have  suffered  since  you  smiled  and  frowned  on  me  by 
turns,  but  I  felt  that  if  I  could  only  win  your  love  I  would 
gladly  endure  all.  You  falsely  made  me  believe  that  I  had 
won  it,  and  yet  all  the  while  you  were  dissecting  my  heart, 
as  a  surgeon  might  a  living  subject.  And  now  what  have 
you  to  offer  to  solace  the  bitterness  of  coming  years  ?  Do 
you  not  know  that  such  deeds  make  men  bad,  faithless, 
devilish?  Never  dream  of  success  till  you  are  changed 
utterly.  Only  the  noble  in  deed  and  in  truth  can  reach 
high  and  noble  art." 

She  sat  before  the  disfigured  pieture  with  her  face  bowed 
in  her  hands. 

She  thought  he  was  gone,  but  still  remained  motionless 
like  one  doomed.  A  few  moments  passed  and  she  was 
startled  by  hearing  his  voice  again.  It  was  no  longer 
harsh  and  stern,  but  sad,  grave,  and  pitiful. 

"Miss  Ludolph,  may  God  f orgivej;ou. " 

She  trembled.  Pride  and  Getter  feeling  were  contending 
for  the  mastery.  After  a  few  moments  she  sprung  up  and 
reached  out  her  hands  ;  but  he  was  gone  now  in  very  truth. 


BARRIERS  BURNED 


CHAPTER  XXXIH. 

THE  TWO  PICTURES. 

WHEN  Christine  saw  that  Dennis  was  not  in  the  room, 
she  rushed  to  a  window  only  in  time  to  see  his  retreating 
form  passing  down  the  street.  For  a  moment  she  felt  like 
one  left  alone  to  perish  on  a  sinking  wreck.  His  words,  so 
assured  in  their  tones,  seemed  like  those  of  a  .prophet. 
Conscience  echoed  them,  and  a  chill  of  fear  came  over  her 
heart.  What  i'f  he  were  right  ?  What  if  she  had  let  the 
one  golden  opportunity  of  her  life  pass  ?  Even  though 
she  had  stolen  her  inspiration  from  him  through  guile  and 
cruelty,  had  he  not  enabled  her  to  accomplish  more  than 
in  all  her  life  before  ?  To  what  might  he  not  have  led  her, 
if  she  had  put  her  hand  frankly  and  truthfully  in  his  ? 
There  are  times  when  to  those  most  bewildered  in  mazes  of 
error  light  breaks,  clear  and  unmistakable,  denning  right 
and  wrong  with  terrible  distinctness.  Such  an  hour  was 
this  to  Christine.  The  law  of  God  written  on  her  heart 
asserted  itself,  and  she  trembled  at  the  guilty  thing  she 
saw  herself  to  be.  But  there  seemed  no  remedy  save  in 
the  one  she  had  driven  away,  never  to  return,  as  she  be 
lieved.  After  a  brief  but  painful  revery  she  exclaimed  : 
"  But  what  am  I  thinking  of  ?  What  can  he  or  any  man 
of  this  land  be  to  me  ?" 

Then  pride,  her  dominant  trait,  awoke  as  she  recalled 
his  words. 

"  He  despises  me,  does  he  ?  I  will  teach  him  that  I 
belong  to  a  sphere  he  cannot  touch,—  the  poor  infatuated 
youth  !  And  did  he  dream  that  I,  Christine  Ludolph, 
could  give  him  my  hand  ?  He  shall  learn  some  day  that 
none  in  this  land  could  receive  that  honor,  and  none  save 
the  proudest  in  my  own  may  hope  for  it.  The  idea  of  my 


BARRIERS  BURNED   AWAY.  261 

giving  up  my  ancient  and  honorable  name  for  the  sake  of 
this  unknown  Yankee  youth." 

Bold,  proud  words  that  her  heart  did  not  echo. 

But  pride  and  anger  were  now  her  controlling  impulses, 
and  with  the  strong  grasp  of  her  resolute  will  she  crushed 
back  her  gentler  and  better  feelings,  and  became  more  icy 
and  hard  than  ever. 

By  such  choice  and  action,  men  and  women  commit 
moral  suicide. 

With  a  cold,  white  face,  and  a  burnished  gleam  in  her 
eyes,  she  went  to  the  easel  and  commenced  painting  out 
the  ominous  black  stain. 

"  I'll  prqve  him  a  false  prophet  also,  I  will  be  an  artist 
without  passing  through  all  his  sentimental  and  super 
stitious  phases  that  have  so  amused  me  during  the  past 
weeks.  I  have  seen  his  lovelorn  face  too  often  not  to  be 
able  to  reproduce  it  and  its  various  expressions." 

Her  strokes  were  quick  and  almost  fierce. 

"Mrs.  Dennis  Fleet,  ha  !  ha  I  ha  1"  and  her  laugh  was 
as  harsh  and  discordant  as  the  feeling  that  prompted  it. 

Again,  a  little  later  :  "  He  despises  me  !  Well,  he  is  the 
first  man  that  ever  dared  to  say  that  ;"  and  her  face  was 
flushed  and  dark  with  anger. 

Dennis  at  first  walked  rapidly  from  the  scene  of  his  bitter 
disappointment,  but  his  steps  soon  grew  slow  and  feeble. 
The  point  of  endurance  was  passed.  Body  and  mind 'act 
ing  and  reacting  on  each  other  had  been  taxed  beyond  their 
powers,  and  both  were  giving  way.  He  felt  that  they 
were,  and  struggled  to  reach  the  store  before  the  crisis 
should  come.  Weak  and  trembling,  he  mounted  the  steps, 
but  fell  fainting  across  the  threshold.  One  of  the  clerks 
saw  him  fall  and  gave  the  alarm.  Mr.  Ludolph,  Mr. 
Schwartz,  and  others  hastened  to  the  spot.  Dennis  was 
carried  to  his  room,  and  a  messenger  was  despatched  for 
Dr.  Arten.  Ernst,  with  flying  feet,  and  wild,  frightened 


262  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

face,  soon  reached  his  home  in  DeKoven  Street,  and  startled 
his  father  and  mother  with  the  tidings. 

The  child  feared  that  Dennis  was  dead,  his  face  was  so 
thin  and  white.  Leaving  the  children  in  Ernst's  care,  both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bruder,  prompted  by  their  strong  gratitude 
to  Dennis,  rushed  through  the  streets  as  if  distracted. 
Their  intense  anxiety  and  warm  German  feeling  caused 
them  to  heed  no  more  the  curious  glances  cast  after  them 
than  would  a  man  swimming  for  life  note  the  ripple  he 
made. 

When  Dennis  regained  consciousness,  they,  and  Mr. 
Ludolph  and  Dr.  Arten,  were  around  him.  At  first  his 
mind  was  confused,  and  he  could  not  understand  it  all. 

"Where  am  I?"  he  asked,  feebly,  "and  what  has  hap 
pened  ?" 

"  Do  not  be  alarmed  ;  you  have  only  had  a  faint  turn," 
said  the  doctor. 

"  O  Mr.  Fleet,  you  vork  too  hart,  you  vork  too  hart ; 
I  knew  dis  vould  come,"  sobbed  Mrs.  Bruder. 

"  Why,  his  duties  in  the  store  have  not  been  so  onerous 
of  late,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  in  some  surprise. 

"  It  is  not  der  vork  in  der  store,  but  he  vork  nearly  all 
night  too.  Den  he  haf  had  trouble,  I  know  he  haf .  Do 
he  say  no  vort  about  him  V" 

Dennis  gave  Mrs.  Bruder  a  sudden  warning  look,  and 
then,  through  the  strong  instinct  to  guard  his  secret,  roused 
himself. 

"Is  it  anything  serious,  doctor?"  he  asked. 

The  physician  looked  grave,  and  said,  "  Your  pulse  and 
whole  appearance  indicate  great  exhaustion  and  physical 
depression,  and  I  also  fear  that  fever  may  set  in." 

"I  think  you  are  right,"  said  Dennis.  "I  feel  as  if  I 
were  going  to  be  ill.  My  mind  has  a  tendency  to  wander. 
Mr.  Ludolph,  will  you  permit  me  to  go  home  ?  If  I  am  to 
be  sick,  I  want  to  be  with  my  mother." 

Mr.  Ludolph  looked  inquiringly  at  the  doctor,  who  said 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  263 

significantly,  in  a  low  tone,  "  I  think  it  would  be  as 
well." 

"  Certainly,  Fleet,"  said  his  employer  ;  "though  I  hope 
it  is  only  a  temporary  indisposition,  and  that  you  will  be 
back  in  a  few  days.  You  must  try  and  get  a  good  night's 
rest,  and  so  be  prepared  for  the  journey  in  the  morning." 

"  With  your  permission  I  will 'go  at  once.  A  train  leaves 
now  in  an  hour,  and  by  morning  I  can  be  at  home." 

"  I  scarcely  think  it  prudent,"  began  the  doctor. 

"  O  certainly  not  to-night,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph,  also. 

"Pardon  me,  I  must  go  at  once,"  interrupted  Dennis, 
briefly  and  so  decidedly  that  the  gentlemen  looked  at  each 
other  and  said  no  more. 

"  Mr.  Bruder,"  he  continued,  "  I  must  be  indebted  to  you 
fo.T  a  real  proof  of  your  friendship.  In  that  drawer  you 
will  find  my  money.  The  key  is  in  my  pocketbook.  Will 
you  get  a  carriage  and  take  me  to  the  depot  at  once  ?  and 
can  you  be  so  kind  as  to  go  on  home  with  me  ?  I  cannot 
trust  myself  alone.  Mrs.  Bruder,  will  you  pack  up  what 
you  think  I  need  ?" 

His  faithful  friends  hastened  to  do  his  bidding. 

"  Mr.  Ludolph,  you  have  been  very  kind  to  me.  I  am 
sorry  this  has  occurred,  but  cannot  help  it.  I  thank  you 
gratefully,  and  will  now  trespass  on  your  valuable  time 
no  longer." 

Mr.  Ludolph,  feeling  that  he  could  be  of  no  further  use, 
said  :  "  You  will  be  back  in  a  week,  Fleet.  Courage. 
Good-by." 

Dennis  turned  eagerly  to  the  doctor  and  said  :  "  Can  you 
not  give  me  something  that  will  reduce  the  fever  and  keep 
me  sane  a  little  longer  ?  I  know  that  I  am  going  to  be 
delirious,  but  would  reach  the  refuge  of  home  first." 

A  prescription  was  given  and  immediately  procured /and 
the  doctor  went  away  shaking  his  head. 

"This  is  the  way  people  commit  suicide.  They  know 
no  more  about,  or  pay  no  more  heed  to,  the  laws  of  health 


264  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

than  the  laws  of  China.  Here  is  the  result :  This  young 
fellow  has  worked  in  a  way  that  would  break  down  a  cast- 
iron  machine,  and  now  may  never  see  Chicago  again." 

But  Dennis  might  have  worked  even  in  his  intense  way 
for  months  and  years  without  serious  harm,  had  not  a  fair 
white  hand  kept  him  on  the  rack  of  uncertainty  and  fear. 

Not  work,  but  worry,  makes  havoc  of  health. 

In  the  gray  dawn  Ethel  Fleet,  summoned  from  her  rest, 
received  her  son,  weak,   unconscious,   muttering  in  de 
lirium,  and  not  recognizing  even  her  familiar  face.     He 
was  indeed  a  sad,  painful  contrast  to  the  ruddy,  buoyant 
youth  who  had  left  her  a  few  short  months  before,  abound 
ing  in  hope  and  life.     But  she  comforted  herself  with  the 
thought  that  neither  sin  nor  shame  had  brought  him  home. 
We  need  not  dwell  on  the  weary  weeks  that  followed. 
Dennis  had  every  advantage  that  could  result  from  good 
medical  skill  and  the  most  faithful  nursing.     But  we  be 
lieve  that  his  life  lay  rather  in  his  mother  'sjprayers  jofjaith. 
In  her  strong  realization  of  the  spiritual  world  she  wouIoT 
/go  continually  into  the  very  presence  of  Jesus,  and  say, 
I  "  Lord,  he  whom  Thou  lovest  is  sick  ;"  or,  like  parents  of 
^,\>ld,  she  would  seem  by  her  importunity  to  bring  the  Divine 
/Physician  to  his  very  bedside. 

v-  Mr.  Bruder,  too,  insisted  on  remaining,  and  watched 
with  the  unwearied  faithfulness  of  one  who  felt,  that  he 
owed  to  Dennis  far  more  than  life.  It  was  indeed  touch 
ing  to  see  this  man,  once  so  desperate  and  depraved,  now 
almost  as  patient  and  gentle  as  the  mother  herself,  sitting 
by  his  unconscious  friend,  often  turning  his  eyes  heaven 
ward  and  muttering  in  deep  guttural  German  as  sincere  a 
prayer  as  ever  passed  human  lips,  that  Dennis  might  be 
spared. 

The  hand  of  God  seemed  about  to  take  him  from  them, 
but  their  strong,  loving  faith  laid  hold  of  that  hand,  and 
put  upon  it  the  restraint  that  only  reverent,  believing 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  266 

prayer  can.  Dennis  lived.  After  many  days  delirium 
ceased,  and  the  confused  mind  became  clear.  But  during 
his  delirium  Ethel  and  Mr.  Bruder  learned  from  the  oft- 
repeated  words,  "  Cruel,  jcruel_Christine  ! ' '  the  nature  of 
the  wound  that  had  nearly  destroyed  his  life. 

Mr.  Ludolph  was  late  in  reaching  his  home  on  the  even 
ing  after  Dennis  was  taken  sick.  Christine  sat  in  the  dusk 
on  the  ivy-shaded  piazza,  awaiting  him.  He  said,  ab 
ruptly,  "  What  have  you  been  doing  to  Fleet,  over  here  ?'" 

For  a  second  her  heart  stood  still,  and  she  was  glad  the 
increasing  gloom  disguised  her  face.  By  a  great  effort  she 
replied,  in  a  cool,  matter-of-fact  tone  :  "I  do  not  under 
stand  your  question.  Mr.  Fleet  was  here  this  afternoon, 
and  gave  some  finishing  touches  to  my  studio.  I  do  not 
think  I  shall  need  him  any  more." 

Her  quiet,  indifferent  voice  would  have  disarmed  sus 
picion  itself. 

"  It  is  well  you  do  not,  for  he  seems  to  have  received 
some '  finishing  touches '  himself.  He  fell  across  the  thresh- 
old  of  the  store  in  a  dead  faint,  and  has  gone  home,  threat 
ened  with  a  serious  illness." 

Even  her  resolute  will  could  not  prevent  a  sharp,  startled 
exclamation, 

"  What  is  the  matter?"  said  her  father,  hastily  ;  "  you 
are  not  going  to  faint  also,  are  you  ?" 

"No,"  said  Christine,  quietly  again;  "but  I  am  tired 
and  nervous,  and  you  told  your  news  so  abruptly  1  Why, 
it  seemed  but  a  moment  ago  he  was  here  at  work,  and  now 
he  is  dangerously  ill.  What  an  uncertain  stumbling  for 
ward  injjiejiajj:  life  is  I  '^ " 

This  was  a  style  of  moralizing  peculiarly  distasteful  to 
Mr.  Ludolph,— all  the  more  repugnant  because  it  seemed 
true,  and  brought  home  in  Dennis's  experience.  Anything 
that  interfered  with  his  plans  and  interests,  even  though 
it  might  be  God's  providence,  always  angered  him.  And 


266  BARRIERS  BURNED   AW  AT. 

now  lie  was  irritated  at  the  loss  of  one  of  his  best  clerks, 
just  as  he  was  becoming  of  great  value  ;  so  he  said,  sharply  : 
"  I  hope  you  are  not  leaning  toward  the  silly  cant  of  mys- 
(terious  providence.  Life  is  uncertain  stumbling  only  to 
!'fools  who  can't  see  the  chances  that  fortune  throws  in  their 
way,  or  recognize  the  plain  laws  of  health  and  success. 
'  *This  young  Fleet  has  been  putting  two  days'  work  in  one 
for  the  past  four  months,  and  now  perhaps  his  work  is 
done  forever,  for  the  doctor  looked  very  grave  over  him." 

Again  the  shadow  of  night  proved  most  friendly  to  Chris 
tine.  Her  face  had  a  frightened,  guilty  look  that  it  was 
well  her  father  did  not  see,  or  he  would  have  wrung  from 
her  the  whole  story.  She  felt  the  chill  of  a  terrible  dread 
&t  heart.  If  he  should  die,  her  conscience  would  give  a 
fearful  verdict  against  her.  She  stood  trembling,  feeling 
almost  powerless  to  move. 

"  Come,"  said  her  father,  sharply,  "I  am  hungry  and 
tired." 

"I  will  ring  for  lights  and  supper,"  said  Christine, 
hastily,  and  then  fled  to  her  own  room. 

When  she  appeared,  her  father  was  sitting  at  the  table 
impatiently  awaiting  her.  But  her  face  was  so  white,  and 
there  was  such  an  expression  in  her  eyes,  that  he  started 
and  said,  "  What  is  the  matter  ?" 

His  question  irritated  her,  and  she  replied  as  sharply  as 
he  had  spoken. 

"  I  told  you  I  was  tired,  and  I  don't  feel  well.  I  have 
been  a  month  in  constant  effort  to  get  this  house  in  order, 
and  I  am  worn  otit,  I  suppose." 

He  looked  at  her  keenly,  but  said  more  kindly,  "  Here, 
my  dear,  take  this  wine  ;"  and  he  poured  out  a  glass  of 
old  port. 

She  drank  it  eagerly,  for  she  felt  she  must  have  some 
thing  that  would  give  her  life,  warmth,  and  courage.  In 
a  way  she  could  not  understand,  her  heart  sunk  within  her. 

But  she  saw  her  father  was  watching  her,  and  knew  she 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  267 

must  act  skilfully  to  deceive  him.  Rallied  and  strength 
ened  by  the  generous  wine,  her  resolute  will  was  soon  on 
its  throne  again,  and  Mr.  Lui'olph  with  all  his  keen  insight 
was  no  match  for  her.  In  a  matter-of-fact  tone  she  said  : 
"  I  do  not  see  how  we  have  worked  Mr.  Fleet  to  death. 
Does  he  charge  anything  of  the  kind  ?" 

"  Oh,  no  !  but  he  too  seems  possessed  with  the  idea  of 
becoming  an  artist.  That  drunken  old  Bruder,  whom  he 
appears  to  have  reformed,  was  giving  him  lessons,  and 
after  working  all  day  he  would  study  much  of  the  night 
and  paint  as  soon  as  the  light  permitted  in  the  morning. 
He  might  have  made  something  if  he  had  had  a  judicious 
friend  to  guide  him"  ("  And  such  you  might  have  been," 
whispered  her  conscience),  ' '  but  now  he  drops  away  like 
untimely  fruit."  f 

"  It  is  a  pity,"  said  she,  coolly,  and  changed  the  subject, 
as  if  she  had  dismissed  it  from  her  mind. 

Mr.  Ludolph  believed  that  Dennis  was  no  more  to  his 
daughter  than  a  useful  clerk. 

The  next  morning  Christine  rose  pale  and  listless. 

Her  father  said,  "  I  will  arrange  my  business  so  that  we 
can  go  off  on  a  trip  in  a  few  days." 

When  left  alone  she  sat  down  at  her  easel  and  tried  to 
restore  the  expression  that  had  so  delighted  her  on  the  pre 
ceding  day.  But  she  could  not.  Indeed  she  was  greatly 
vexed  to  find  that  her  tendency  was  to  paint  his  stern  and 
scornful  look,  which  had  made  a  deeper  impression  on  her 
mi  ad  than  any  she  had  ever  seen  on  his  face,  because  so 
unexpected  and  novel.  She  became  irritated  with  herself, 
and  cried,  fiercely  :  "  Shame  on  your  weakness  !  You  are 
unworthy  of  your  blood  and  ancestry.  I  will  reproduce 
that  face  as  it  was  before  he  so  insolently  destroyed  it ;" 
and  she  bent  over  her  easel  with  an  expression  not  at  all  in 
harmony  with  her  work.  Unconsciously  she  made  a 
strange  contrast,  with  her  severe,  hard  face  and  compressed 
lips,  to  the  look  of  love  and  pleading  she  sought  to  paint. 


268  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

For  several  days  she  wrought  with  resolute  purpose,  but 
found  that  her  inspiration  was  gone. 

At  last  she  threw  down  her  brush  in  despair,  and  cried  : 
"  I  cannot  catch  it  again.  The  wretch  either  smiles  or 
frowns  upon  rne.  I  fear  he  was  right :  1  have  made  my 
first  and  last  success  ;"  and  she  leaned  her  head  sullenly 
and  despairingly  on  her  hand.  Again  the  whole  scene 
passed  before  her,  and  she  dwelt  upon  every  word,  as  she 
was  beginning  often  to  do  now,  in  painful  revery.  When 
she  came  to  the  words,  "  I  too  mean  to  be  an  artist.  I 
could  show  you  a  picture  that  would  tell  you  far  more  of 
what  I  mean  than  can  my  poor  words,"  she  started  up, 
and,  hastily  arraying  herself  for  the  street,  was  soon  on, 
her  way  to  the  Art  Building. 

No  one  heeded  her  movements  there,  and  she  went 
directly  upstairs  to  his  room.  Though  simple  and  plain, 
it  had  unmistakably  been  the  abode  of  a  gentleman  and  a 
person  of  taste.  It  was  partially  dismantled,  and  in  dis 
order  from  his  hasty  departure,  and  she  found  nothing 
which  satisfied  her  quest  there.  She  hastened  away,  glad 
to  escape  from  a  place  where  everything  seemed  full  ofv 
mute  reproach,  and  next  bent  her  steps  to  the  top  floor  of 
the  building.  In  a  part  half-filled  with  antiquated  lumber, 
and  seldom  entered,  she  saw  near  a  window  facing  the  east 
an  easel  with  canvas  upon  it.  She  was  startled  at  the 
throbbing  of  her  heart. 

"It  is  only  climbing  these  long  stairs,"  she  said  ;  but 
her  words  were  belied  by  the  hesitating  manner  and  eager 
face  with  which  she  approached  and  removed  the  covering 
from  the  canvas. 

She  gazed  a  moment  and  then  put  out  her  hands  for 
something  by  which  to  steady  herself-.  His  chair  was 
near,  and  she  sunk  into  it,  exclaiming  :  "He  has  indeed 
painted  more  than  he— more  than  any  one— could  put  into 
words.  He  has  the  genius  that  I  have  not.  All  here  is 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  269 

striking  and  original  ;"  and  she  sat  with  her  eyes  riveted 
to  a  painting  that  had  revealed  to  her— herself. 

Here  was  the  secret  of  Dennis's  toil  and  early  work. 
Here  were  "the  results  of  his  insatiable  demand  for  the  in 
congruous  elements  of  ice  and  sunlight. 

Side  by  side  were  two  emblematic  pictures.  In  the  first 
there  opened  before  Christine  a  grotto  of  ice.  The  light 
was  thin  and  cold  but  very  clear.  Stalactites  hung  glitter 
ing  from  the  vaulted  roof.  Stalagmites  in  strange  fantas 
tic  forms  rose  to  meet  them.  Vivid  brightness  and  beauty 
were  on  every  side,  but  of  that  kind  that  threw  a  chill  on 
the  beholder.  All  was  of  cold  blue  ice,  and  so  natural  was 
it  that  the  eye  seemed  to  penetrate  its  clear  crystal.  To 
"the  right  was  an  opening  in  the  grotto,  through  which  was 
caught  a  glimpse  of  a  summer  landscape,  a  vivid  contrast 
to  the  icy  cave. 

But  the  main  features  of  the  picture  were  two  figures. 
Sleeping  on  a  couch  of  ice  was  the  form  of  a  young  girl. 
The  flow  of  the  drapery,  the  contour  of  the  form,  was 
grace  itself,  and  yet  all  was  ice.  But  the  face  was  the 
most  wonderful  achievement.  Christine  saw  her  own  fea 
tures,  as  beautiful  as  in  her  vainest  moments  she  had  ever 
dared  to  hope.  So  perfect  was  the  portrait  that  the  deli 
cate  blue  veins  branched  across  the  temple  in  veiled  dis 
tinctness.  It  was  a  face  that  lacked  but  two  things,  life 
and  love  ;  and  yet  in  spite  of  all  its  beauty  the  want  of 
these  was  painfully  felt, — all  the  more  painfully,  even  as 
a  lovely  face  in  death  awakens  a  deeper  sadness  and  regret. 

One  little  icy  hand  grasped  a  laurel  wreath,  also  of  ice. 
The  other  hand  hung  listless,  half  open,  and  from  it  had 
dropped  a  brush  that  formed  a  small  stalagmite  at  her  side. 

Bending  over  her  in  most  striking  contrast  was  the  figure 
of  a  young  man,  all  instinct  with  life,  power,  and  feeling. 
Though  the  face  was  turned  away,  Dennis  had  suggested 
his  own  form  and  manner.  His  left  hand  was  extended 
toward  the  sleeping  maiden,  as  if  to  awaken  her,  while 


270  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

with  the  right  he  pointed  toward  the  opening  through 
•which  was  seen  the  summer  landscape,  and  his  whole  atti-^ 
tude  indicated  an  eager  wish  to  rescue  her.     This  was  the 
first  picture. 

The  second  one  was  still  more  suggestive.  At  the  en. 
trance  of  the  grotto,  which  looked  more  cold  than  ever,  in 
its  partial  shadow,  Christine  saw  herself  again,  but  how 
changed  !  She  now  had  a  beauty  which  she  could  not 
believe  in,— could  not  understand. 

The  icy  hue  and  rigidity  were  all  gone.  She  stood  in 
the  warm  sunlight,  and  seemed  all  warmth  and  life.  Her 
face  glowed  with  feeling,  yet  was  full  of  peace. 

Instead  of  the  barren  ice,  flowers  were  at  her  feet,  and 
fruitful  trees  bent  over  her.  Birds  were  seen  flitting 
through  their  branches.  The  bended  boughs,  her  flowing 
costume,  and  the  tress  of  golden  hair  lifted  from  her  tem 
ple,  all  showed  that  the  summer  wind  was  blowing. 

Everything,  in  contrast  with  the  frozen,  death-like  cave, 
indicated  life,  activity.  Near  her,  a  plane-tree,  which  in 
nature's  language  is  the  emblem  of  genius,  towered  into 
the  sky  ;  around  its  trunk  twined  the  passion-flower,  mean 
ing,  in  Flora's  tongue,  "  Holy  love  ;"  while  just  above  her 
head,  sipping  the  nectar  from  an  open  blossom,  was  a 
bright-htied  butterfly,  the  symbol  of  immortality.  By  her 
side  stood  the  same  tall,  manly  form,  with  face  still  averted, 
He  was  pointing,  and  her  eyes,  softened,  and  yet  lustrous 
and  happy,  were  following  where  a  path  wound  through 
a  long  vista,  in  alternate  light  and  shadow,  to  a  gate,  that 
in  the  distance  looked  like  a  pearl.  Above  and  beyond  it, 
in  airy  outline,  rose  the  walls  and  towers  of  the  Holy  City, 
the  New  Jerusalem.  '  , 

For  &-  long  time  she  sat  in  rapt  attention.  Moment  by 
moment  the  paintings  in  their  meaning  grew  upon  her. 
At  last  her  eyes  filled  with  tears,  her  bosom  rose  and  fell 
with  an  emotion  most  unwonted,  and  in  low  tones  she 
murmured  :  "  Heavenly  delusion  !  and  taught  with  the 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  271 

logic  I  most  dearly  love.  Oh  that  I  could  believe  it !  I 
would  giv.e  ten  thousand  years  of  the  life  I  am  leading  to 
know  that  it  is  true.  Is  there,  can  there  be  a  path  that 
leads  through  light  or  shade  to  a  final  and  heavenly  home  ? 
If  this  is  true,  in  spite  of  all  my  father's  keen  and  seem 
ingly  convincing  arguments,  what  a  terrible  mistake  our 
life  is  i" 

Then  her  thoughts  reverted  to  the  artist. 

"  What  have  I  done  in  driving  him  away  with  contempt 
in  his  heart  for  me  ?  I  can  no  more  affect  haughty  supe 
riority  to  the  man  who  painted  those  pictures.  Though  he 
could  not  be  my  lover,  what  a  friend  he  might  have  been  ! 
I  fear  I  shall  never  find  his  equal.  Oh  this  world  of  chaos 
and  confusion  !  What  is  right  ?  What  is  best  ?  What  is 
truth  f  He  might  have  taught  me.  But  the  skilful  hand! 
that  portrayed  those  wonderful  scenes  may  soon  turn 
dust,  and  I  shall  go  to  my  grave  burdened  with  the  thought 
that  I  have  quenched  the  brightest  genius  that  will  ever 
shine  upon  me  ;"  and  she  clasped  her  hands  in  an  agony  of 
regret. 

Then  came  the  thought  of  securing  the  pictures.  Drop 
ping  a  veil  over  her  red  eyes,  she  went  down  and  got  some 
large  sheets  of  paper,  and  by  fastening  them  together  made 
a  secure  covering.  Then  she  carried  the  light  frame  with 
the  canvas  to  the  second  floor,  and,  siiinmoning  Ernst, 
started  homeward  with  her  treasure.  The  b  >v  obeyed  with 
reluctance.  Since  the  time  she  had  surprised  him  out  of 
his  secret  in  regard  to  the  strawberries,  ho  had  never  liked 
her,  and  now  he  felt  that  in  some  way  she  was  the  cause 
of  the  sickness  of  his  dearest  friend.  Christine  could  not 
bear  the  reproach  of  his  large,  truth fuj  eyes,  and  their  walk 
was  a  silent  one.  At  parting  she  handed  him  a  bank  note, 
but  he  shook  his  head.  t 

"  Have  you  heard  from  Mr.  Fleet  ?"  she  asked,  with  a 
flush. 

The  boy's  lip  quivered  at  the  mention  of  that  name,  and 


272  BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

he  answered,  hastily  :  "  Fader  wrote  moder  Mr.  Fleet  was 
no  better.  I  fear  he  die  ;"  and  in  an  agony  of  grief  he 
turned  and  ran  sobbing  away. 

From  under  her  veil  Christine's  tears  were  falling  fast 
also,  and  she  entered  her  elegant  home  as  if  it  had  been  a 
prison. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

REGRET. 

THE  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  and  a  long,  dreary  one 
it  was  to  Christine.  But  late  in  the  afternoon  Susie  Win- 
throp  came  with  a  pale,  troubled  face. 

"  O  Christine,  have  you  heard  the  news  ?"  she  exclaimed. 

Christine's  heart  stood  still  with  fear,  but  by  a  great 
effort  she  said,  composedly,  "  What  news  ?" 

"  Mr.  Fleet  has  gone  home  very  ill ;  indeed,  he  is  not 
expected  to  live." 

For  a  moment  she  did  not  answer,  and  when  she  did  it 
was  with  a  voice  unnaturally  hard  and  cold  :  ' '  Have  you 
heard  what  is  the  matter  ?" 

Miss  "Winthrop  wondered  at  her  manner,  but  replied, 
"  BrainJ&jer,  I  am  told." 

"  Is  he  delirious  ?"  asked  Christine,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Yes,  all  the  time.  Ernst,  the  little  office-boy,  told  me 
he  did  not  know  his  own  mother.  It  seems  that  the  boy's 
father  is  with  Mrs.  Fleet,  helping  take  care  of  him." 

Christine's  f ace , was  averted  and  so  colorless  that  it 
seemed  like  marble. 

"  O  Christine,  don't  you  care  ?"  said  Susie,  springing 
up  and  coming  toward  her. 

"  Why  should  I  care  ?"  was  the  quick  answer. 

Susie  could  not  know  that  it  was  in  reality  but  an  in- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  273 

coherent  cry  of  pain,— the  blind,  desperate  effort  of  pride 
to  shield  itself.  But  the  tone  checked  her  steps  and  filled 
her  face  with  reproach. 

"  Perhaps  you  have  more  reason  to  care  than  you  choose 
to  admit,"  she  said,  pointedly. 

Christine  flushed,  but  said,  coldly  :  "  Of  course  I  feel  an 
interest  in  the  fate  of  Mr.  Fleet,  as  I  do  in  that  of  every 
passing  acquaintance.  I  feel  very  sorry  for  him  and  his 
friends  ;"  but  never  was  sympathy  expressed  in  a  voice 
more  unnaturally  frigid. 

Susie  looked  at  her  keenly,  and  again  saw  the  telltale 
flush  rising  to  her  cheek.  She  was  puzzled,  but  saw  that 
her  friend  had  no  confidence  to  give,  and  she  said,  with  a 
voice  growing  somewhat  cold  also  :  "  Well,  really,  Chris 
tine,  I  thought  you  capable  of  seeing  as  much  as  the  rest 
of  us  in  such  matters,  but  I  must  be  mistaken,  if  you  only 
recognized  in  Dennis  Fleet  a  passing  acquaintance.  Well, 
if  he  dies  I  doubt  if  either  you  or  I  look  upon  his  equal 
again.  Under  right  influences  he  might  have  been  one  of 
the  first  and  most  useful  men  of  his  day.  But  they  need 
not  tell  me  it  was  overwork  that  killed  him.  I  know  it 
was  trouble  of  some  kind." 

Christine  was  very  pale,  but  said  nothing  ;  and  Susie, 
pained  and  mystified  that  the  confidence  of  other  days  was 
refused,  bade  her  friend  a  rather  cold  and  abrupt  adieu. 

Left  alone,  Christine  bowed  her  white  face  in  her  hands 
and  sat  so  still  that  it  seemed  as  if  life  had  deserted  her. 
In  her  morbid  state  she  began  to  fancy  herself  the  victim 
of  some  terrible  fatality.  Her  heart  had  bounded  when 
Susie  Winthrop  was  announced,  believing  that  from  her 
she  would  gain  sympathy  ;  but  in  strange  perversity  she 
had  hidden  her  trouble  from  her  friend,  and  permitted  her 
to  go  away  in  coldness.  Christine  could  see  as  quickly 
and  as  far  as  any,  and  from  the  first  had  noted  that  Dennis 
was  very  interesting  to  her  friend.  Until  of  late  she  had 
not  cared,  but  now  for  some  reason  the  fact  was  not  pleas- 


27-4  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

ing,  and  she  felt  a  sudden  reluctance  to  speak  to  Susie  of 
him. 

Now  that  she  was  alone  a  deeper  sense  of  isolation  came 
over  her  than  she  had  ever  felt  before,  Her  one  confiden 
tial  friend  had  departed,  chilled  and  hurt.  She  made 
friends  but  slowly,  and,  having  once  become  estranged, 
from  her  very  nature  she  found  it  almost  impossible  to 
make  the  first  advances  toward  reconciliation. 

Soon  she  heard  her  father's  steps,  and  fled  to  her  room 
to  nerve  herself  for  the  part  she  must  act  before  him.  But 
she  was  far  from  successful  ;  her  pale  face  and  abstracted 
manner  awakened  his  attention  and  his  surmises  as  to  the 
cause.  Having  an  engagement  out,  he  soon  left  her  to 
welcome  solitude  ;  for  when  she  was  in  trouble  he  was  no 
source  of  help  or  comfort. 

Monday  dragged  wearily  to  a  close.  She  tried  to  work, 
but  could  not,  She  took  up  the  most  exciting  book  she 
could  find,  only  to  throw  it  down  in  despair.  For  ever 
before  the  canvas  or  the  page  would  rise  a  pale  thin  face, 
at  times  stern  and  scornful,  again  full  of  reproach,  and 
then  of  pleading. 

Even  at  night  her  rest  was  disturbed,  and  in  dreams  she 
heard  the  mutterings  of  his  delirium,  in  which  he  contin 
ually  charged  her  with  his  death.  At  times  she  would 
take  his  picture  from  its  place  of  concealment,  and  look  at 
it  with  such  feelings  as  would  be  awakened  by  a  promise 
of  some  priceless  thing  now  beyond  reach  forever.  Then 
she  would  become  irritated  with  herself,  and  say,  angrily  : 
"  What  is  this  man  to  me  ?  Why  am  I  worrying  about 
one  who  never  could  be  much  more  to  me  living  than 
dead  ?  I  will  forget  the  whole  miserable  affair." 

But  she  could  not  forget.  Tuesday  morning  came,  but 
no  relief.  "  Whether  he  lives  or  dies  he  will  follow  me  to 
my  grave  !"  she  cried.  "From  the  time  I  first  spoke  to 
him  there  has  seemed  no  escape,  and  in  strange,  unexpected 
ways  he  constantly  crosses  my  palli  !" 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  275 

She  felt  that  she  must  have  some  relief  from  the  oppres 
sion  on  her  spirit.  Suddenly  she  thought  of  Ernst,  and  at 
once  went  to  the  store  and  asked  if  he  had  heard  anything 
later.  He  had  not,  but  thought  that  his  mother  would 
receive  a  letter  that  day. 

"  I  want  to  see  your  father's  picture,  and  will  go  home 
that  way,  if  you,  will  give  me  the  number." 

The  boy  hesitated,  but  at  last  complied  with  her  wish. 

A  little  later  Christine  knocked  at  Mr.  Bruder's  door. 
There  was  no  response,  though  she  heard  a  stifled  sound 
within.  After  a  little  she  knocked  more  loudly.  Then 
the  door  slowly  opened,  and  Mrs.  Bruder  stood  before  her. 
Her  eyes  were  very  red,  and  she  held  in  her  hand  an  open 
letter.  Christine  expected  to  find  more  of  a  lady  than  was 
apparent  at  first  glance  in  the  hard-working  woman  before 
her,  so  she  said,  "  My  good  woman,  will  you  tell  Mrs. 
Bruder  I  would  like  to  see  her  ?" 

"  Dis  is  Mrs.  Bruder,"  was  the  answer. 

Then  Christine  noticed  the  letter,  and  the  half-effaced 
traces  of  emotion,  and  her  heart  misgave  her  ;  but  she 
nerved  herself  to  say,  "  I  came  to  see  your  husband's 
picture." 

"  It  is  dere,"  was  the  brief  reply. 

Christine  began  to  expatiate  on  its  beauty,  though  per 
haps  for  the  first  time  she  looked  at  a  fine  picture  without 
really  seeing  it.  She  was  at  a  loss  how  to  introduce  the 
object  of  her  visit,  but  at  last  said,  "Your  husband  is 
away  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  He  is  taking  care  of  one  of  my  father's— of  Mr.  Fleet, 
I  am  told.  Have  you  heard  from  him  as  to  Mr.  Fleet's 
health  ?" 

"  Dis  is  Miss  Ludolph  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  You  can  no  read  Sherman  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  can.     German  is  my  native  tongue." 


276  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  Strange  dot  him  should  be  so." 

"Why?" 

"  Der  Shermans  haf  hearts." 

Christine  flushed  deeply,  but  Mrs.  Bruder  without  a 
word  put  her  husband's  letter  into  her  hand,  and  Christine 
read  eagerly  what,  translated,  is  as  follows  :— 

"  MY  DEAB  WIPE  :  —  Perhaps  before  this  reaches  yon  our  be?r 
friend,  our  human  savior,  will  be  in  heaven.  There  is  a  heaven,  1 
believe  as  I  never  did  before  ;  and  when  Mrs.  Fleet  prays  the  gate 
seems  to  open,  and  the  glory  to  stream  right  down  upon  us.  But  I 
fear  now  that  not  even  her  prayers  can  keep  him.  Only  once  he 
knew  her  ;  then  he  smiled  and  said,  '  Mother,  it  is  all  right,'  and 
dropped  asleep.  Soon  fever  came  on  again,  and  he  is  sinking  fast. 
The  doctor  shakes  his  head  and  gives  no  hope.  My  heart  is  break 
ing.  Marguerite,  Mr.  Fleet  is  not  dying  a  natural  death ;  he  has 
been  slain.  I  understand  all  his  manner  now,  all  his  desperate  hard 
work.  He  loved  one  above  him  in  wealth, — none  could  be  above 
him  in  other  respects, — and  that  one  was  Miss  Ludolph.  I  sus 
pected  it,  though,  till  delirious,  he  scarcely  ever  mentioned  her  name. 
But  now  I  believe  she  played  with  his  heart — the  noblest  that  ever 
beat — and  then  threw  it  away,  as  if  it  were  a  toy  instead  of  the 
richest  offering  ever  made  to  a  woman.  Proud  fool  that  she  was  ; 
ehe  has  done  more  mischief  than  a  thousand  such  frivolous  lives  as 
hers  can  atone  for.  I  can  write  no  more  ;  my  heart  is  breaking  with 
grief  and  indignation." 

As  Christine  read  she  suffered  her  veil  to  drop  over  her 
face.  When  she  looked  up  she  saw  that  Mrs.  Bruder's 
gaze  was  fixed  upon  her  as  upon  the  murderer  of  her  best 
friend.  She  drew  her  veil  closer  about  her  face,  laid  the 
letter  down,  and  left  the  room  without  a  word.  She  felt 
so  guilty  and  miserable  ^on  her  way  home  that  it  would 
scarcely  have  surprised  her  had  a  policeman  arrested  her 
for  the  crime  with  which  her  own-  conscience,  as  well  as 
Mr.  Bruder's  letter,  charged  her  ;  and  yet  her  pride  re 
volted  at  it  all. 

"  Why  should  this  affair  take  so  miserable  a  form  with 
me  ?"  she  said.  "  To  most  it  ends  with  a  few  sentimental 
sighs  on  one  side,  and  as  a  good  joke  on  the  other.  All 
seems  to  go  wrong  of  late,  and  I  am  destined  to  have 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  277 

everything  save  happiness  and  the  success  upon  which 
I  set  my  heart.  There  is  no  more  cruel  mockery  than  to 
give  one  all  save  the  very  thing  one  wants  ;  and,  in  seek 
ing  to  grasp  that,  I  have  brought  down  upon  myself  this 
wretched,  blighting  experience.  Oh  this  chaotic  world  ! 
The  idea  of  there  being  a  God  !  Why,  I  could  make  a 
better  world  myself  !"  and  she  'reached  her  home  in  such 
a  morbid,  unhappy  state,  that  none  in  the  great  city  need 
have  envied  the  rich  and  flattered  girl.  Mechanically  she 
dressed  and  came  down  to  dinner. 

During  the  afternoon  Ernst,  while  out  on  an  errand,  had 
slipped  home  and  heard  the  sad  news.  He  returned  to 
Mr.  Ludolplrs  office  crying.  To  the  question,  "  What  is 
the  matter?"  he  had  answered,  "  Oh,  Mr.  Fleet  is  dying  ; 
he  is  dead  by  dis  time  !" 

Mr.  Ludolph  was  sadly  shocked  and  pained,  for  as  far 
as  he  could  like  anybody  besides  himself  and  daughter,  he 
had  been  prepossessed  in  favor  of  his  useful  and  intelligent 
clerk,  and  he  was  greatly  annoyed  at  the  thought  of  losing 
him.  He  returned  full  of  the  subject,  and  the  first  words 
with  which  he  greeted  Christine  were,  "  Well,  Fleet  will 
hang  no  more  pictures  for  you,  and  sing  no  more  songs." 

She  staggered  into  a  chair  and  sat  before  him  pale  and 
panting,  for  she  thought  he  meant  that  death  had  taken 
place. 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter  ?"  cried  he. 

She  stared  at  him  gaspingly,  but  said  nothing. 

"Here,  drink  this,"  he  said,  hastily  pouring  out  a  glass 
of  wine. 

She  took  it  eagerly.  After  a  moment  he  said  :  "  Chris 
tine,  I  do  not  understand  all  this.  I  was  merely  saying 
that  my  clerk,  Mr.  Fleet,  was  not  expected — " 

The  point  of  endurance  and  guarded  self-control  was 
past,  and  she  cried,  half -hysterically  :  "  Am  I  never  to 
escape  that  man  ?  Must  every  one  I  meet  speak  to  me  as 
if  I  had  murdered  him  ?" 


278  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Then  she  added,  almost  fiercely  :  "  Living  or  dead,  never 
speak  to  me  of  him  again  !  I  am  no  longer  a  child,  but  a 
woman,  and  as  such  I  insist  that  his  name  be  dropped 
between  us  forever  !" 

Her  father  gave  a  low  exclamation  of  surprise,  and  said, 
"  What  !  was  he  one  of  the  victims  ?"  (this  being  his  term 
for  Christine's  rejected  suitors). 

"  No,"  said  she  ;  "I  am  the  victim.  He  will  soon  be  at 
rest,  while  I  shall  be  tormented  to  the  grave  by—"  She 
hardly  knew  what  to  say,  so  mingled  and  chaotic  were  her 
feelings.  Her  hands  clenched,  and  with  a  stamp  of  her 
foot  she  hastily  left  the  room. 

Mr.  Ludolph  could  hardly  believe  his  eyes.  Could  this 
passionate,  thoroughly  aroused  woman  be  his  cold,  self- 
contained  daughter  ?  He  could  not  understand,  as  so 
many  cannot,  that  such  natures  when  aroused  are  tenfold 
more  intense  than  those  whom  little  things  excite.  A  long 
and  peculiar  train  of  circumstances,  a  morbid  and  over 
wrought  physical  condition,  led  to  this  outburst  from 
Christine,  which  was  as  much  a  cause  of  surprise  to  herself 
afterward  as  to  her  father.  He  judged  correctly  that  a 
great  deal  had  occurred  between  Dennis  and  herself  of 
which  ho  had  no  knowledge,  and  again  his  confidence  in 
her  was  thoroughly  shaken. 

At  first  he  determined  to  question  her  and  extort  the 
truth.  But  when,  an  hour  later,  she  quietly  entered  the 
parlor,  he  saw  at  a  glance  that  the  cold,  proud,  self-pos 
sessed  woman  before  him  would  not  submit  to  the  treat 
ment  accepted  by  the  little  Christine  of  former  days.  The 
wily  man  read  from  her  manner  and  the  expression  of  her 
eye  that  he  might  with  her  consent  lead,  but  could  not 
command  without  awakening  a  nature  as  imperious  as  his 
own. 

He  was  angry,  but  he  had  time  to  think.  Prudence  had 
given  a  decided  voice  in  favor  of  caution. 

He  saw  what   she  did  not  recognize  herself,  that  her 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  279 

heart  had  been  greatly  touched,  and  in  his  secret  soul  he 
was  not  sorry  now  to  believe  that  Dennis  was  dying. 

"Father,"  said  Christine,  abruptly,  "how  soon  can  we 
start  on  our  eastern  trip  ?" 

"Well,  if  you  particularly  wish  it,"  he  replied,  "I  can 
leave  by  the  evening  train  to-morrow." 

"  I  do  wish  it  very  much, "'said  Christine,  earnestly, 
"  and  will  be  ready." 

After  an  evening  of  silence  and  constraint  they  separated 
for  the  night. 

Mr.  Ludolph  sat  for  a  long  time  sipping  his  wine  after 
she  had  gone. 

"  After  all  it  will  turn  out  for  the  best,"  he  said.  "  Fleet 
will  probably  die,  and  then  will  be  out  of  the  way.  Or, 
if  he  lives,  I  can  easily  guard  against  him,  and  it  will  go 
no  farther.  If  she  had  been  bewitched  by  a  man  like  Mr. 
Mellon,  the  matter  would  have  been  more  difficult. 

"  In  truth,"  he  continued,  after  a  little,  "  now  that  her 
weak  woman's  heart  is  occupied  by  an  impossible  lover, 
here  is  no  danger  from  possible  ones  ;  and  the  man  of 
the  world  went  complacently  to  his  rest,  believing  that 
what  he  regarded  as  the  game  of  life  was  entirely  in  his 
own  hands. 

The  next  evening  the  night  express  bore  Christine  from 
the  scene  of  the  events  she  sought  to  escape  ;  but  she  was 
to  learn,  in  common  with  the  great  host  of  the  sinning  and 
suffering,  how  little  change  of  place  has  to  do  with  change 
of  feeling.  We  take  memory  and  character  with  us  from 
land  to  land,  from  youth  to  age,  from  this  world  to  the 
other,  from  time  through  eternity.  Sad,  then,  is  the  lot 
of  those  who  ever  carry  the  elements  of  their  own  torture 
with  them. 

It  was  Christine's  purpose,  and  she  had  her  father's  con 
sent,  to  make  a  long  visit  in  New  York,  and,  in  the  gayety 
and  excitement  of  the  metropolis,  to  forget  her  late  wretched 
experience. 


280  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAJ. 

'-% 

As  it  was  still  early  in  September,  they  resolved  to  stop 
at  West  Point  and  participate  in  the  gayest  season  of  that* 
fashionable  watering-place.  At  this  time  the  hotels  are 
thronged  with  summer  tourists  returning  homeward  from 
the  more  northern  resorts.  Though  the  broad  piazzas  of 
Cozzens's  great  hotel  were  crowded  by  the  elite  of  the  city, 
there  was  a  hum  of  admiration  as  Christine  first  made  her 
round  on  her  father's  arm  ;  and  in  the  evening,  when  the 
spacious  parlor  was  cleared  for  dancing,  officers  from  the 
post  and  civilians  alike  eagerly  sought  her  hand,  and  hun 
dreds  of  admiring  eyes  followed  as  she  swept  through  the 
mazes  of  the  dance,  the  embodiment  of  grace  and  beauty. 
She  was  very  gay,  and  her  repartee  was  often  brilliant,  but 
a  close  observer  would  have  seen  something  forced  and. 
unnatural  in  all.  Such  an  observer  was  her  father.  He 
saw  that  the  sparkle  of  her  eyes  had  no  more  heart  and 
happiness  in  it  than  that  of  the  diamonds  on  her  bosom, 
and  that  with  the  whole  strength  of  her  resolute  nature  she 
was  laboring  to  repel  thought  and  memory.  But,  as  he 
witnessed  the  admiration  she  excited  on  every  side,  he 
became  more  determined  than  ever  that  his  fair  daughter 
should  shine  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  in  the  salons  of 
Europe.  At  a  late  hour,  and  wearied  past  the  power  of 
thought,  she  gladly  sought  refuge  in  the  blank  of  sleep. 

The  next  morning  they  drove  out  early,  before  the  sun 
was  high  and  warm.  It  was  a  glorious  autumn  day.  Re 
cent  rains  had  purified  the  atmosphere,  so  that  the  un 
rivalled  scenery  of  the  Hudson  stood  out  in  clear  and  grand 
outline.  • 

As  Christine  looked  about  her  she  felt  a  thrill  of  almost 
delight, — the  first  sensation  of  the  kind  since  that  moment 
of  exultation  which  Dennis  had  inspired,  but  which  he 
had  also  turned  to  the  bitterness  of  disaster  and  humilia 
tion.  She  was  keenly  alive  to  beauty,  and  she  saw  it  on 
every  side. 

The  Ludolph  family  had  ever  lived  among  the  moun- 


s      BARRIERS  BURNED  A\vAT.  281 

tains  on  the  Rhine,  and  the  heart  of  this  latest  child  of  the 
race  yearned  over  the  rugged  scenery  before  her  with 
hereditary  affection,  which  had  grown  stronger  with  each 
successive  generation. 

The  dew,  like  innumerable  pearls,  gemmed  the  grass  in 
the  park-like  lawn  of  the  hotel,  and  the  slanting  rays  of 
the  sun  flecked  the  luxuriant  foliage.  Never  before  had 
this  passion  for  the  beautiful  in  nature  been  so  gratified, 
and  all  the  artist  feeling  within  her  awoke. 

On  reaching  the  street  the  carriage  turned  southward, 
and,  after  passing  the  village  of  Highland  Falls,  entered 
on  one  of  the  most  beautiful  drives  in  America.  At  times 
the  road  led  under  overarching  forest-trees,  shaded  and 
dim  with  that  delicious  twilight  which  only  myriads  of 
fluttering  leaves  can  make.  Again  it  would  wind  around 
some  bold  headland,  and  the  broad  expanse  of  the  Hudson 
would  shine  out  dotted  with  white  sails.  Then  through  a 
vista  its  waters  would  sparkle,  suggesting  an  exquisite 
cabinet  picture.  On  the  right  the  thickly-wooded  moun 
tains  rose  like  emerald  walls,  with  here  and  there  along 
their  base  a  quiet  farm-house.  With  kindling  eye  and 
glowing  cheeks  she  drank  in  view  after  view,  and  at  last 
exclaimed,  "  If  there  were  only  a  few  old  castles  scattered 
among  these  Highlands,  this  would  be  the  very  perfection 
of  scenery." 

Her  father  watched  her  closely,  and  with  much  satisfac 
tion. 

"After  all,  her  wound  is  slight,"  he  thought,  "and 
new  scenes  and  circumstances  will  soon  cause  her  to  for 
get." 

Furtively,  but  continually,  he  bent  his  eyes  upon  her, 
as  if  to  read  her  very  soul.  A  dreamy,  happy  expression 
rested  on  her  face,  as  if  a  scene  were  present  to  her  fancy 
even  more  to  her  taste  than  the  one  her  eyes  dwelt  upon. 
In  fact  she  was  living  over  that  evening  at  Miss  Win- 
throp's,  when  Dennis  had  told  her  that  she  could  reach 


282  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

truest  and  highest  art,— that  she  could  feel,  —could  copy 
anything  she  saw  ;  and  exhilarated  by  the  fresh  morning 
air,  inspired  by  the  scenery,  she  felt  for  the  moment,  as 
never  before,  that  it  might  all  be  true. 

Was  he  who  gave  those  blissful  assurances  also  exerting 
a  subtile,  unrecognized  power  over  her  ?  Certainly  within 
the  last  few  weeks  she  had  been  subject  to  strange  moods 
and  reveries.  But  the  first  dawning  of  a  woman's  love  is 
like  the  aurora,  with  its  strange,  fitful  flashes.  The  phe 
nomena  have  never  been  satisfactorily  explained. 

But,  as  Mr.  Ludolph  watched  complacently  and  admir 
ingly,  her  expression  suddenly  changed,  and  a  frightened, 
guilty  look  came  into  her  face.  The  glow  upon  her  cheeks 
gave  place  to  extreme  pallor,  and  she  glanced  nervously 
around  as  if  fearing  something,  then  caught  her  father's 
eye,  and  was  conscious  of  his  scrutiny.  She  at  once  became 
cold  and  self-possessed,  and  sat  at  his  side  pale  and  quiet 
till  the  ride  ended.  But  he  saw  from  the  troubled  gleam 
of  her  eyes  that  beneath  that  calm  exterior  were  tumult 
and  suffering. 

Few  in  this  life  are  so  guilty  and  wretched  as  not  to  have 
moments  of  forgetfulness,  when  the  happier  past  comes 
back  and  they  are  oblivious  of  the  painful  present.  Such 
a  brief  respite  Christine  enjoyed  during  part  of  her  morn 
ing  ride.  The  grand  and  swiftly  varying  scenery  crowded 
*  her  mind  with  pleasant  images,  which  had  been  followed 
by  a  delicious  re  very.  She  felt  herself  to  be  a  true  priestess 
of  Nature,  capable  of  understanding  and  interpreting  her 
voices  and  hidden  meanings, — of  catching  her  evanescent 
beauty  and  fixing  it  on  the  glowing  canvas.  The  strong 
consciousness  of  such  power  was  indeed  sweet  and  intoxi 
cating.  Her  mind  naturally  reverted  to  him  who  had  most 
clearly  asserted  her  possession  of  it. 

"  He,  too,  would  have  equal  appreciation  of  this  scenery," 
she  said  to  herself. 


BARRIERS  BURNER  AWAY.  283 

Then  came  the  sudden  remembrance,  shrivelling  her 
pretty  dreams  as  the  lightning  scorches  and  withers. 

"  He — he  is  dead! — he  must  be  by  this  time!" 

And  dread  and  guilt  and  something  else  which  she  did 
not  define,  but  which  seemed  more  like  a  sense  of  great 
loss,  lay  heavy  at  her  heart.  No  wonder  her  father  was 
perplexed  and-  provoked  by  the  sad  change  in  her  face. 
At  first  he  was  inclined  to  remonstrate  and  put  spurs  to 
her  pride.  But  there  was  a  dignity  about  the  lady  at  his 
side,  even  though  she  was  his  daughter,  that  embarrassed 
and  restrained  him.  Moreover,  though  he  understood 
much  and  suspected  far  more,— more  indeed  than  the  truth, 
— there  was  nothing  acknowledged  or  tangible  that  he 
could  lay  hold  of,  and  she  meant  that  it  should  be  so.  For 
reasons  she  did  not  understand  she  felt  a  disinclination  to 
tell  her  troubles  to  Susie  Winthrop,  and  she  was  most  reso 
lute  in  her  purpose  never  to  permit  her  father  to  speak  on 
the  subject 

If  Mr.  Ludolph  had  been  as  coarse  and  ignorant  as  he 
was  hard  and  selfish,  he  would  have  gone  to  work  at  the 
case  with  sledge-hammer  dexterity,  as  many  parents  have 
done,  making  sad,  brutal  havoc  in  delicate  womanly  natures 
with  which  they  were  no  more  fit  to  deal  than  a  blacksmith 
with  hair-springs.  But  though  he  longed  1o  speak,  and 
bring  his  remorseless  logic  to  bear,  Christine's  manner 
raised  a  barrier  which  a  man  of  his  fine  culture  could  not 
readily  pass. 

She  joined  her  father  at  a  late  breakfast,  smiling  and 
brilliant,  but  her  gayety  was  clearly  forced.  The  morning 
was  spent  in  sketching,  she  seeming  to  crave  constant 
occupation  or  excitement. 

In  the  afternoon  father  and  daughter  drove  up  the  river 
to  the  military  grounds  to  witness  a  drill.  Mr.  Ludolph 
did  his  best  to  rally  Christine,  pointing  out  everything  of 
interest.  First,  the  grand  old  ruin  of  Fort  Putnam  frowned 
down  upon  them.  This  had  been  the  one  feature  wanting, 


284  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

and  Christine  felt  that  she  could  ask  nothing  more.  Her 
wonder  and  admiration  grew  as  the  road  wound  along  the 
immediate  bluff  and  around  the  plain  by  the  river  fortifica 
tions.  But  when  she  stood  on  the  piazza  of  the  West  Point 
Hotel,  and  looked  up  through  the  Highlands  toward  New- 
burgh,  tears  came  to  her  eyes,  and  she  trembled  with  ex 
citement.  From  her  recent  experiences  her  nerves  were 
morbidly__§ensitive.  But  her  father  could  only  look  and 
wonder,  she  seemed  so  changed  to  him. 

"  And  is  the  Rhine  like  this  ?"  she  asked. 

"  Well,  the  best  I  can  say  is,  that  to  a  German  and  a 
Ludolph  it  seems  just  as  beautiful,"  he  replied. 

11  Surely,"  said  she,  slowly  and  in  half-soliloquy,  "if 
one  could  live  always  amid  such  scenes  as  these,  the 
Elysium  of  the  gods  or  the  heaven  of  the  Christians  would 
offer  few  temptations. ' ' 

"  And  among  just  such  scenes  you  shall  live  after  a  short 
year  passes,"  he  answered,  warmly  and  confidently.  But 
with  anger  he  missed  the  wonted  sparkle  of  her  eyes  when 
these  cherished  plans  were  broached. 

In  bitterness  Christine  said  to  herself:  "A  few  weeks 
since  this  thought  would  have  filled  me  with  delight. 
Wliy  does  it  not  now  ?" 

Silently  they  drove  to  the  parade-ground.  At  the  sally 
port  of  the  distant  barracks  bayonets  were  gleaming. 
There  was  a  burst  of  martial  music,  then  each  class  at  the 
Academy— four  companies — came  out  upon  the  grassy 
plain  upon  the  double-quick.  Their  motions  were  light 
and  swift,  and  yet  so  accurately  timed  that  each  company 
seemed  one  perfect  piece  of  mechanism.  A  cadet  stood  at 
a  certain  point  with  a  small  color  flying.  Abreast  of  this 
their  advance  was  checked  as  suddenly  as  if  they  had  been 
turned  to  stone,  and  the  entire  corps  was  in  line.  Then 
followed  a  series  of  skilful  manosuvres,  in  which  Christine 
was  much  interested,  and  her  old  eager  manner  returned. 

ct  I  like  the  army,"  she  exclaimed  ;  "  the  precision  and 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  285 

inflexible  routine  would  just  suit  me.  I  wish  there  waa 
war,  and  I  a  man,  that  I  might  enter  into  the  glorious 
excitements." 

Luxurious  Mr.  Ludolph  had  no  tastes  in  that  direction, 
and,  shrugging  his  shoulders,  said  :  "  How  about  the  hard 
ships,  wounds,  and  chances  of  an  obscure  death  ?  These 
are  the  rule  in.  a  campaign  ;  the  glorious  excitements  the 
exceptions." 

"  I  did  not  think  of  those,"  she  said,  shrinking  against 
the  cushions.  "  Everything  seems  to  have  so  many  miser 
able  drawbacks  !" 

The  pageantry  over,  the  driver  turned  and  drove  north 
ward  through  the  most  superb  scenery. 

11  Where  are  we  going  ?"  asked  Christine. 

"  To  the  cemetery,"  was  the  reply. 

"  No,  no  !  not  there  !"  she  exclaimed,  nervously. 

"  Nonsense  !     Why  not  ?"  remonstrated  her  father. 

"I  don't  wish  to  go  there!"  she  cried,  excitedly. 
"  Please  turn  around." 

Her  father  reluctantly  gave  the  order,  but  added,  "  Chris 
tine,  you  certainly  indulge  in  strange  moods  and  whims  of 
late." 

She  was  silent  a  moment,  and  then  she  began  a  running 
fire  of  questions  about  the  Academy,  that  left  no  space  for 
explanations. 

That  evening  she  danced  as  resolutely  as  ever,  and  by 
her  beauty  and  brilliant  repartee  threw  around  her  many 
bewildering  spells  that  even  the  veterans  of  the  Point  could 
scarcely  resist. 

But  when  alone  in  her  own  room  she  looked  at  her  white 
face  in  the  mirror,  and  murmured  in  tones  full  of  unutter 
able  dread  and  remorse,  "  He  is  dead, — he  must  be  dead  by 
tW«  time  I" 


886  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

CHAPTER  XXX Y. 

REMORSE. 

CHRISTINE  had  a  peculiar  experience  while  at  West 
Point.  She  saw  on  every  side  what  would  hare  brought 
her  the  choicest  enjoyment,  had  her  mind  been  at  rest.  To 
her  artist  nature,  and  with  her  passion  and  power  for 
sketching,  the  Highlands  on  the  Hudson  were  paradise. 
But  though  she  saw  in  profusion  what  once  would  have 
delighted  her,  and  what  she  now  felt  ought  to  be  the 
source  of  almost  unmingled  happiness,  she  was  still  thor 
oughly  wretched.  It  was  the  old  fable  of  Tantalus  repeat 
ing  itself.  Her  sin  and  its  results  had  destroyed  her  re 
ceptive  power.  The  world  offered  her  pleasures  on  every 
side  ;  she  longed  to  enjoy  them,  but  could  not,  for  her 
heart  was  preoccupied, — filled  and  overflowing  with  fear, 
remorse,  and  a  sorrow  she  could  not  define. 

A  vain,  shallow  girl  might  soon  have  forgotten  such  an 
experience  as  Christine  had  passed  through.  Such  a  creat 
ure  would  have  been  sentimental  or  hysterical  for  a  little 
time,  according  to  temperament,  and  then  with  the  old 
zest  have  gone  to  flirting  with  some  new  victim.  There 
are  belles  so  weak  and  wicked  that  they  would  rather 
plume  themselves  on  the  fact  that  one  had  died  from  love 
for  them.  But  in  justice  to  all  such  it  should  be  said  that 
they  rarely  have  mind  enough  to  realize  the  evil  they  do. 
Their  vanity  overshadows  every  other  faculty,  and  almost 
destroys  those  sweet,  pitiful,  unselfish  qualities  which 
make  a  true  woman  what  a  true  man  most  reverences  next 
to  God. 

Christine  was  proud  and  ambitious  to  the  last  degree, 
feut  she  had  not  this  small  vanity.  She  did  not  appreciate 
the  situation  fully,  but  she  was  unsparing  in  her  self-con 
demnation. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  287 

If  Dennis  had  been  an  ordinary  man,  and  interested  her 
no  more  than  had  other  admirers,  and  had  she  given  him 
no  more  encouragement,  she  would  have  shrugged  her 
shoulders  over  the  result  and  said  she  was  very  sorry  he 
had  made  such  a  fool  of  himself. 

But  as  she  went  over  the  past  (and  this  now  she  often 
did),  she  saw  that  he  was  unusually  gifted  ;  nay,  more, 
the  picture  she  discovered  in  the  loft  of  the  store  proved 
him  possessed  of  genius  of  a  high  order.  And  such  a  man 
she  had  deceived,  tortured,  and  even  killed  !  This  was  ' 
the  verdict  of  her  own  conscience,  the  assertion  of  his  own 
lips.  She  remembered  the  wearing  life  of  alternate  hope 
and  fear  she  had  caused  him.  She  r  membered  how  eagerly 
he  hung  on  her  smiles  and  sugared  nothings,  and  how  her 
equally  causeless  frowns  would  darken  all  the  world  to 
him.  She  saw  day  after  day  how  she  had  developed  in  a 
strong,  true  heart,  with  its  native  power  to  love  unim 
paired,  the  most  intense  passion,  and  all  that  her  own  lesser 
light  might  burn  a  little  more  brightly.  Then,  with  her 
burning  face  buried  in  her  hands,  she  would  recall  the 
bitter,  shameful  consummation.  Worse  than  all,  waking 
or  sleeping,  she  continually  saw  a  pale,  thin  face,  that  even 
in  death  looked  upon  her  with  unutterable  reproach.  In 
addition  to  the  misery  caused  by  her  remorse,  there  was  a 
deeper  bitterness  still.  Within  the  depths  of  her  soul  a 
voice  told  her  that  the  picture  was  true  ;  that  he  might 
have  awakened  her,  and  lucl  her  out  into  the  warmth  and 
light  of  a  happy  life, — a  life  which  she  felt  ought  to  be 
possible,  but  which  as  yet  had  been  but  a  vague  and  tan 
talizing  dream.  Now  the  world  seemed  to  her  utter  chaos, 
— a  place  of  innumerable  paths  leading  nowhere  ;  and  her 
own  hands  had  broken  the  clew  that, might  have  brought 
her  to  something  assured  and  satisfactory.  She  was  very  \ 
wretched,  for  her  life  seemed  but  a  little  point  between  } 
disappointment  on  one  side  and  the  blackness  of  death  and 
nothingness  on  the  other. 


288  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

The  very  beauty  of  the  landscapes  about  her  often  in- 
creased  her  pain.  She  felt  that  a  few  weeks  ago  she  would 
have  enjoyed  them  keenly,  and  found  in  their  transference 
to  canvas  a  source  of  unfailing  pleasure.  With  a  conscious 
blush  she  thought  that  if  he  were  present  to  encourage,  to 
stimulate  her,  by  the  very  vitality  of  his  earnest,  loving 
nature,  she  would  be  in  the  enjoyment  of  paradise  itself. 
In  a  word,  she  saw  the  heaven  she  could  not  enter. 

To  the  degree  that  she  had  mind,  heart,  conscience,  and 
an  intense  desire  for  true  happiness,  she  was  unhappy. 
Dress,  dancing,  the  passing  admiration  of  society,  the 
pleasures  of  a  merely  fashionable  life,  seemed  less  and  less 
satisfactory.  She  was  beyond  them,  as  children  outgrow 
their  toys,  because  she  had  a  native  superiority  to  them, 
and  yet  they  seemed  her  best  resource.  She  had  all  her 
old  longing  to  pursue  her  art  studies,  and  everything  about 
her  stimulated  her  to  this,  but  her  heart  and  hand  appeared 
paralyzed.  She  was  in  just  that  condition,  mental  and 
moral,  in  which  she  could  do  nothing  well. 

And  so  the  days  passed  in  futile  efforts  to  forget— to 
drown  in  almost  reckless  gayety— the  voices  of  conscience 
and  memory.  But  she  only  remembered  all  the  more 
vividly  ;  she  only  saw  the  miserable  truth  all  the  more 
clearly.  She  suffered  more  in  her  torturing  consciousness 
than  Dennis  in  his  wild  delirium. 

After  they  had  been  at  the  hotel  about  a  week,  Mr. 
Ludolph  received  letters  that  made  his  speedy  return 
necessary.  On  the  same  day  the  family  of  his  old  New 
York  partner  arrived  at  the  house  on  their  return  from  the 
Catskills.  Mrs.  Von  Brakhiem  gladly  received  Christine 
under  her  care,  feeling  that  the  addition  of  such  a  bright 
star  would  make  her  little  constellation  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  in  the  fashionable  world. 

The  ladies  of  the  house  were  now  immersed  in  the  excite 
ment  of  an  amateur  concert.  Mrs.  Von  Brakhiem,  bent 
upon  shining  among  the  foremost,  though  with  a  borrowed 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  289 

lustre,  assigned  Christine  a  most  prominent  part.  She  half 
shrunk  from  it,  for  it  recalled  unpleasant  memories  ;  but 
she  could  not  decline  without  explanations,  and  so  entered 
into  the  affair  with  a  sort  of  recklessness. 

The  large  parlors  were  filled  with  chairs,  which  were 
soon  occupied,  and  it  was  evident  that  in  point  of  attrac 
tion  elegant  toilets  would  vie  with  the  music.  Christine 
came  down  on  her  father's  arm,  dressed  like  a  princess, 
and,  though  her  diamonds  were  few,  such  were  their  size 
and  brilliancy  that  they  seemed  on  fire.  Every  eye  fol 
lowed  Mrs.  Von  Brakhiem's  party,  and  that  good  lady  took 
half  the  admiration  to  herself. 

A  superior  tenor,  with  an  unpronounceable  foreign  name, 
had  come  up  from  New  York  to  grace  the  occasion.  But 
personally  he  lacked  every  grace  himself,  his  fine  voice 
being  the  one  thing  that  redeemed  him  from  utter  insig 
nificance  in  mind  and  appearance.  Nevertheless  he  was 
vain  beyond  measure,  and  made  the  most  of  himself  on  all 
occasions. 

The  music  was  fine,  for  the  amateurs,  feeling  that  they 
had  a  critical  audience,  did  their  best.  Christine  chose 
three  brilliant,  difficult,  but  heartless  pieces  as  her  contri 
bution  to  the  entertainment  (she  would  not  trust  herself 
with  anything  else) ;  and  with  something  approaching 
reckless  gayety  she  sought  to  hide  the  bitterness  at  her 
heart.  Her  splendid  voice  and  exquisite  touch  doubled 
the  admiration  her  beauty  and  diamonds  had  excited,  and 
Mrs.  Von  Brakhiem  basked  in  still  stronger  reflected  light. 
She  took  every  opportunity  to  make  it  known  that  she 
was  Miss  Ludolph's  chaperon. 

After  her  first  effort,  the  "distinguished"  tenor  from 
New  York  opened  his  eyes  widely  at  her  ;  at  her  second, 
he  put  up  his  eye-glass  in  something  like  astonishment ; 
and  the  close  of  her  last  song  found  him  nervously  rummag 
ing  a  music  portfolio  in  the  corner. 

But  for  Christine  the  law  of  association  had  become  too 


290  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

strong,  and  the  prolonged  applause  recalled  the  evening  at 
Miss  Brown's  when  the  same  sounds  had  deafened  her,  but 
when  turning  from  it  all  she  had  seen  Dennis  Fleet  stand 
ing  in  rapt  attention,  his  lips  parted,  his  eyes  glowing  with 
such  an  honest  admiration  that  even  then  it  was  worth 
more  to  her  than  all  the  clamor.  Then,  by  the  same  law 
of  association,  she  again  saw  that  eager,  earnest  face, 
changed,  pale,  dead, — dead  ! — and  she  the  cause.  Regard 
less  of  the  compliments  lavished  upon  her,  she  buried  her 
face  in  her  hands  and  trembled  from  head  to  foot. 

But  the  irrepressible  tenor  had  found  what  he  wanted, 
and  now  came  forward  asking  that  Miss  Ludolph  would 
sing  a  duet  with  him. 

She  lifted  a  wan  and  startled  face.  Must  the  torturing 
similarity  and  still  more  torturing  contrast  of  the  two  occa 
sions  be  continued  ?  But  she  saw  her  father  regarding  her 
sternly, — saw  that  she  was  becoming  the  subject  of  curious 
glances  and  whispered  surmises.  Her  pride  was  aroused 
at  once,  and,  goaded  on  by  it,  she  said,  "  Oh,  certainly  ; 
I  am  not  feeling  well,  but  it  does  not  signify." 

"  And  den,"  put  in  the  tenor,  "  dis  is  von  grand  occa- 
zeon  to  you,  for  it  is  so  unfrequent  dat  I  find  any  von 
vortliy  to  sing  dis  stylo  of  music  vith  me." 

"  What  is  the  music  ?"  asked  Christine,  coldly. 

To  her  horror  she  found  it  the  same  selection  from  Men 
delssohn  that  she  had  sung  with  Dennis. 

"  No,"  she  said,  sharply,  "  I  cannot  sing  that." 

"Pardon  me,  my  daughter,  you  can  sing  it  admirably 
if  you  choose,"  interposed  her  father. 

She  turned  to  him  imploringly,  but  his  face  was  inflexi 
ble,  and  his  eyes  had  an  incensed  look.  For  a  moment  she, 
too,  was  angry.  Had  he  no  mercy  ?  She  was  about  to 
decline  coldly,  but  her  friends  were  very  urgent  and  clam 
orous, — "  Please  do,"  "  Don't  disappoint  us,"  echoing  on 
every  side.  The  tenor  was  so  surprised  and  puzzled  at  her 
insensibility  to  the  honor  he  had  conferred,  that,  to  prevent 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY,  291 

a  scene  she  coufd  not  explain,  she  went  to  the  piano  as  if 
led  to  the  stake. 

But  the  strain  was  too  great  upon  her  in  her  suffering 
state.  The  familiar  notes  recalled  so  vividly  the  one  who 
once  before  had  sung  them  at  her  side  that  she  turned 
almost  expecting  to  see  him, — but  saw  only  the  vain  little 
animated  music-machine,  who  with  many  contortions  was 
producing  the  harmony.  "  Just  this  mockery  my  life  will 
ever  be,"  she  thought ;  "all  that  I  am,  the  best  I  can  do, 
will  always  be  connected  with  something  insignificant  and 
commonplace.  The  rich,  impassioned  voice  of  the  man 
who  sang  these  words,  and  who  might  have  taught  me  to 
sing  the  song  of  a  new  and  happier  life,  I  have  silenced 
forever." 

The  thought  overpowered  her.  Just  then  her  part  re 
curred,  but  her  voice  died  away  in  a  miserable  quaver,  and 
again  she  buried  her  face  in  her  hands.  Suddenly  she 
sprung  from  the  piano,  darted  through  the  low-cut  open 
window  near,  and  a  moment  later  ordered  her  startled  maid 
from  the  room,  turned  the  key,  and  was  alone. 

Her  father  explained  coldly  to  the  astonished  audience 
and  the  half-paralyzed  tenor  (who  still  stood  with  his 
mouth  open)  that  his  daughter  was  not  at  all  well  that 
evening,  and  ought  not  to  have  appeared  at  all.  This  Mrs. 
Von  Brakhiem.  took  up  and  repeated  with  endless  varia 
tions.  But  the  evidences  of  sheer  mental  distress  on  the 
part  of  Christine  had  been  too  clear,  and  countless  were 
the  whispered  surmises  of  the  fashionable  gossips  in  ex 
planation. 

Mrs.  Yon  Brakhiem  herself,  burning  with  curiosity,  soon 
retired,  that  she  might  receive  from  her  lovely  charge 
some  gushing  confidences,  which  she  expected,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  would  be  poured  into  what  she  chose  to  regard 
as  her  sympathizing  ear.  But  she  knocked  in  vain  at 
Christine's  door. 

Later  Mr.  Ludolph  knocked.     There  was  no  answer. 


292  BARRIERS   BURNED  AWAY. 

"  Christine  !"  he  called. 

After  some  delay  a  broken  voice  answered,  '  You  can 
not  enter— I  am  not  well — I  have  retired." 

He  turned  on  his  heel  and  strode  away,  ard  that  night 
drank  more  brandy  and  water  than  was  good  for  him. 

As  for  Christine,  warped  and  chilled  though  her  nature 
had  been,  she  was  still  a  woman,  she  was  still  young,  and, 
though  she  knew  it  not,  she  had  heard  the  voice  which 
had  spoken  her  heart  into  life.  Through  a  chain  of  cir 
cumstances  for  which  she  was  partly  to  blame,  she  had 
been  made  to  suffer  as  she  had  not  believed  was  possible. 
The  terrible  words  of  Mr.  Bruder's  letter  rang  continually 
in  her  ears,—"  Mr.  Fleet  is  not  dying  a  natural  death  ;  he 
has  been  slain." 

For  many  long,  weary  days  the  conviction  had  been 
growing  upon  her  that  she  had  indeed  slain  him  and  mor 
tally  wounded  herself.  Until  to-night  she  had  kept  herself 
outwardly  under  restraint,  but  now  the  long  pent-up  feel 
ing  gave  way,  and  she  sobbed  as  if  her  heart  would  break, 
—sobbed  till  the  power  to  weep  was  gone.  If  now  some 
kind,  judicious  friend  had  shown  her  that  she  was  not  so 
guilty  as  she  deemed  herself  ;  that,  however  frightful  the 
consequences  of  such  acts,  she  was  really  not  to  blame  for 
what  she  did  not  intend  and  could  not  foresee  ;  more  than 
all,  if  she  could  only  have  known  that  her  worst  fears 
about  Dennis  were  not  to  be  realized,  and  that  he  was  now 
recovering,  she  might  at  once  have  entered  on  a  new  and 
happier  life.  Bat  there  was  no  such  friend,  no  such  knowl 
edge,  and  her  wounded  spirit  was  thrown  back  upon  itself. 

At  last,  robed  as  she  had  been  for  the  evening,  she  fell 
asleep  from  sheer  exhaustion  and  grief,— for  grief  induces 
sleep. 

The  gems  that  shone  in  her  dishevelled  hair  ;  that  rose 
and  fell  as  at  long  intervals  her  bosom  heaved  with  con 
vulsive  sobs,  like  the  fitful  gusts  of  a  storm  that  is  dying 
away  ;  the  costly  fabrics  she  wore,  —made  sar*  mockery  in 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  293 

their  contrast  with  the  pale,  tear-stained,  suffering  face. 
The  hardest  heart  might  have  pitied  her, — yes,  even  the 
wholly  ambitious  heart  of  her  father,  incensed  as  he  was 
that  a  plebeian  stranger  of  this  land  should  have  caused 
such  distress. 

When  Christine  awoke,  her  pride  awoke  also.  With 
bitterness  of  spirit  she  recalled  the  events  of  the  past  even 
ing.  But  a  new  phase  of  feeling  now  began  to  manifest 
itself. 

After  her  passionate  outburst  she  was  much  calmer.  In 
this  respect  the  unimpeded  flow  of  feeling  had  done  her 
good,  and,  as  intimated,  if  kindness  and  sympathy  could 
now  have  added  their  gentle  ministrations,  she  might  have 
been  the  better  for  it  all  her  life.  But,  left  to  herself,  she 
again  yielded  to  the  sway  of  her  old  and  worst  traits. 
Chief  among  these  was  pride  ;  and  under  the  influence  of 
this  passion  and  the  acute  suffering  of  her  uasoothed,  un- 
guided  spirit,  she  began  to  rebel  in  impotent  anger.  She 
grew  hard,  cynical,  and  reckless.  Her  father's  lack  of 
sympathy  and  consideration  alienated  her  heart  even  from 
him.  Left  literally  alone  in  the  world,  her  naturally  re 
served  nature  shut  itself  up  more  closely  than  ever.  Even 
her  only  friend,  Susie  Winthrop,  drifted  away.  One  other, 
who  might  have  been —  But  she  could  think  of  him  only 
with  a  shudder  now.  All  the  rest  seemed  indifferent,  or 
censorious,  or,  worse  still,  to  be  using  her,  like  Mrs.  Von 
Brakhiem  and  even  her  own  father,  as  a  stepping-stone  to 
their  personal  ambition.  Christine  could  not  see  that  she 
was  to  blame  for  this  isolation.  She  did  not  understand 
that  cold,  selfish  natures,  like  her  own  and  her  father's, 
could  not  surround  themselves  with  warm,  generous 
friends.  She  saw  only  the  fact.  But  with  flashing  eyes 
she  resolved  that  her  heart's  secrets  should  not  be  pried 
into  a  hair's  breadth  further  ;  that  she  would  be  used  only 
so  far  as  she  chose.  She  would,  in  short,  "  face  out"  the 
events  of  the  past  evening  simply  and  solely  on  the  ground 


294  BARRIERS  B  URN  ED  A  WA  Y. 

that  she  had  not  been  well,  and  permit  no  questions  to  be 
asked. 

Cold  and  self-possessed,  she  came  down  to  a  late  break 
fast.  Mrs.  Von  Brakhiem,  and  others  who  had  been  intro 
duced,  joined  her,  but  nothing  could  penetrate  through 
the  nice  polished  armor  of  her  courteous  reserve.  Her 
father  looked  at  her  keenly,  but  she  coolly  returned  his 
gaze. 

When  alone  with  her  soon  afterward,  he  turned  and  said, 
sharply,  "  What  does  all  this  mean  ?" 

She  looked  around  as  if  some  one  else  were  near. 

"  Were  you  addreosing  me  ?"  she  asked,  coldly. 

"  Yes,  of  course  I  am,"  said  her  father,  impatiently. 

"  From  your  tone  and  manner,  I  supposed  you  must  be 
speaking  to  some  one  else." 

"  Nonsense  !  I  was  speaking  to  you.  What  does  all 
this  mean  ?" 

She  turned  on  him  an  indescribable  look,  and  after  <•». 
moment  said  in  a  slow,  meaning  tone,  "  Have  you  not 
heard  my  explanation,  sir?" 

Such  was  her  manner,  he  felt  he  could  as  easily  strike 
her  as  say  another  word. 

Muttering  an  oath,  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  left  her  to 
herself. 

The  next  morning  her  father  bade  her  "  Good-by."  Ju 
parting  he  said,  meaningly,  "  Christine,  beware  !" 

Again  she  turned  upon  him  that  peculiar  look,  and  re 
plied  in  a  low,  firm  tone  :  "  That  recommendation  applies 
to  you,  also.  Let  us  both  beware,  lest  we  repent  ut 
leisure. ' ' 

The  wily  man,  skilled  in  character,  was  now  thoroughly 
convinced  that  in  his  daughter  he  was  dealing  with  a  nature 
very  different  from  his  wife's,— that  he  was  now  confronted 
by  a  spirit  as  proud  and  imperious  as  his  own.  He  clearly 
saw  that  force,  threatening,  sternness  would  not  answer  in 
this  case,  and  that  if  he  canit/d  his  points  it  must  be 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  295 

through  skill  and  cunning.  By  some  means  he  must  ever 
gain  her  consent  and  co-operation. 

His  manner  changed.  Instinctively  she  divined  the 
cause  ;  and  hers  did  not.  Therefore  father  and  daughter 
parted  as  father  and  daughter  ought  never  to  part. 

Af  teThTs  departure  she  was  to  remain  at  West  Point  till 
the  season  closed,  and  then  accompany  Mrs.  Von  Bra'khiem 
to  New  York,  where  she  was  to  make  as  long  a  visit  as  she 
chose  ; — and  she  chose  to  make  a  long  one.  In  the  scenery, 
and  the  society  of  the  officers  at  West  Point,  and  the  ex 
citements  of  the  metropolis,  she  found  more  to  occupy  her 
thoughts  than  she  could  have  done  at  Chicago.  She  went 
deliberately  to  work  to  kill  time  and  snatch  from  it  such 
fleeting  pleasures  as  she  might. 

They  stayed  in  the  country  till  the  pomp  and  glory  of 
October  began  to  illumine  the  mountains,  and  then  (to 
Christine's  regret)  went  to  the  city.  There  she  entered  into 
every  amusement  and  dissipation  that  her  tastes  permitted, 
and  found  much  pleasure  in  frequent  visits  to  the  Central 
Park,  although  it  seemed  tame  and  artificial  after  the  wild 
grandeur  of  the  mountains.  It  was  well  that  her  nature 
was  so  high-toned  that  she  found  enjoyment  in  only  what 
was  refined  or  intellectual.  Had  it  been  otherwise  she 
might  soon  have  taken,  in  her  morbid,  reckless  state,  a 
path  to  swift  and  remediless  ruin,  as  many  a  poor  creature 
arf  at  war  with  happiness  and  truth  has  done.  And  thus 
in  a  giddy  whirl  of  excitement  (Mrs.  Von  Brakhiem's  nor 
mal  condition)  the  days  and  weeks  passed,  till  at  last,  thor 
oughly  satiated  and  jaded,  she  concluded  to  return  home, 
for  the  sake  of  change  and  quiet,  if  nothing  else.  Mrs. 
Von  Brakhiem  parted  with  her  regretfully.  Where  would 
she  find  such  another  ally  in  her  determined  struggle  to  be 
talked  about  and  envied  a  little  more  than  some  other 
pushing,  jostling  votaries  of  fashion  ? 

In  languor  or  sleep  Christine  made  the  journey,  and  in 
the  dusk  of  a  winter's  day  her  father  drove  her  to  their 


29G  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

beautiful  home,  which  from  association  was  now  almost 
hateful  to  her.  Still  she  was  too  weary  to  think  or  suffer 
much.  They  met  each  other  very  politely,  and  their  inter 
course  assumed  at  once  its  wonted  character  of  high-bred 
courtesy,  though  perhaps  it  was  a  little  more  void  of  mani 
fested  sympathy  and  affection  than  before. 

Several  days  elapsed  in  languid  apathy,  the  natural  re 
action  of  past  excitement  ;  then  an  event  occurred  which 
most  thoroughly  aroused  her. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

AN   APPARITION. 

MR.  LUDOLPH  had  hoped  to  hear  on  his  return  that  Den 
nis  was  dead.  That  would  end  all  difficulties.  Mr. 
Schwartz  did  not  know  ;— he  was  not  at  last  accounts. 
Ernst  was  summoned.  With  a  bright,  hopeful  face  he 
stated  that  his  mother  had  just  received  a  letter  saying 
Dennis  was  a  little  better.  He  was  much  surprised  at  his 
employer's  heavy  frown. 

"  He  will  live,"  mused  Mr.  Ludolph  ;  "  and  now  shall 
I  permit  him  to  return  to  my  employ,  or  discharge  him?" 

His  brow  contracted  in  lines  of  thought  that  suggested 
shrewdness,  cunning,  nothing  manly,  and  warily  he 
Judged. 

"If  I  do  not  take  him,  he  will  go  to  Mr.  French  with 
certainty.  He  had  better  return,  for  then  both  he  and 
Christine  will  be  more  thoroughly  under  my  surveillance. 

"  Curses  on  Christine's  waywardness  !  There  may  be 
no  resisting  her,  and  my  best  chance  will  be  in  managing 
him.  This  I  could  not  do  if  he  were  in  the  store  of  my 
rival  ;"  and  so  for  unconscious  Dennis  this  important 
question  was  decided. 


r 

BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  2< 


At  last,  as  we  have  said,  his  delirium  ceased,  and  the 
quiet  light  of  reason  came  into  his  eyes.  He  looked  at  his 
mother  and  smiled,  but  was  too  weak  even  to  reach  out  his 
hand. 

The  doctor,  coming  in  soon  after,  declared  danger  past, 
and  that  all  depended  now  on  good  nursing.  Little  fear  of 
his  wanting  that  ! 

"  Ah.  mine^Gk^fr4te  praised  !  mine  Gott  be  praised  !" 
exclaimed  Mr.  Bruder,  who  had  to  leave  the  room  to  pre 
vent  an  explosion  of  his  grateful,  happy  feelings  that 
might  have  groved  too  rude  a  tempest  for  Dennis  in  his 
weak  state.  (He  was  next  seen  striding  across  vthe  fields  to 
a  neighboring  grove,  ejaculating  as  he  went.)  When  he 
returned  his  eyes  shone  with  a  great  peace  and  joy,  and  he 
had  evidently  been  with  Him  who  had  cast  out  the  demon 
from  his  heart. 

Day  after  day  Dennis  rallied.  Unlike  pojor_Christine, 
hejaad  beneath  him  the  two  strongest  levers,  love  and 
prayer,  and  steadily  they  lifted  him  up  to  health  and 
strength'  and  comparative  peace.  At  last  he  was  able  to  sit 
up  and  walk  about  feebly,  and  Mr.  Bruder  returned  re 
joicing  to  his  family.  As  he  wrung  Dennis's  hand  at  part 
ing,  he  said,  in  rather  a  hoarse  voice  :  "  If  any  von  tell  me 
Gott  is  not  goot  and  heareth  not  prayer,  den  I  tell  him  he 
von  grand  heathen.  Oh  i  but  ve  vill  velcome  you.  soon. 
Ve  vill  haf  de  grandest  supper,  de  grandest  songs,  de 
grandest — "  but  just  here  Mr.  Bruder  thought  it  prudent 
to  pull  his  big  fur  cap  over  his  eyes,  and  make  a  rush  for 
the  stage. 

As  if  by  tacit  understanding,  Christine's  name  had  not 
been  mentioned  during  Dennis's  recovery.  But  one  even 
ing,  aft4er  the  little  girls  had  been  put  to  bed,  and  the  lamp 
shaded,  he  sat  in  the  dimly  lighted  room,  looking  fixedly 
for  a  long  time  at  the  glowing  embers.  His  mother  was 
moving  quietly  about,  putting  away  the  tea-things,  clear 
ing  up  after  the  children's  play  ;  but  as  she  worked  she 


298  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

furtively  watched  him.  At  last  coming  to  his  side  she 
pushed  back  the  hair  that  seemed  so  dark  in  contrast  with 
the  thin,  white  face  and  said,  gently,  "You  are  thinking 
of  Miss  Ludolph,  Dennis." 

He  had  some  blood  yet,  for  that  was  not  the  glow  of  the 
fire  that  suffused  his  cheek  ;  but  he  only  answered,  quietly, 
"  Yes,  mother." 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  forget  her  ?" 

"  I  don't  know." 

"  Prayer  is  a  mighty  thing,  my  son." 

"  But  perhaps  it  is  not  God's  will  that  I  should  ever  win 
her,"  said  Dennis,  despondently. 

"  Then  surely  it  is  not  yours,  my  child." 

"  No,  mother,"  said  Dennis,  with  bowed  head  and  low 
lone,  "  but  yet  I  am  human  and  weak." 

"  You  would  still  wish  that  it  were  His  will  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  I  could  not  help  it." 

*^But  you  would  submit  ?" 

"  Yes,  with  His  help  I  would,"  firmly. 

"  That  is  sufficient,  my  boy  ;  I  have  such  confidence  in 
God  that  I  know  this  matter  will  result  in  a  way  to  secure 
you  the  greatest  happiness  in  the  end." 

But  after  a  little  time  he  sighed,  wearily,  "  Yet  how 
iiard  it  is  to  wait  till  the  great  plan  is  worked  out !" 

Solemnly  she  quoted,—'"*  God  will  render  to  every  man 
according  to  his  deeds.  To  them  who  by  patient  continu 
ance  in  well-doing  seek  for  glory  and  honor  and  immor 
tality,  eternal  life." 

Braced  by  the  stirring  words  of  inspiration,  strengthened 
by  his  mother's  faith,  he  looked  up  after  a  moment  and 
said,  earnestly,  "  At  any  rate  I  will  try  to  be  a  man  in  your 
sense  of  the  word,  and  that  is  saying  a  great  deal." 

She  beamed  at  him  through  her  spectacles  over  her  knit 
ting-needles  ;  and  he  thought,  as  he  gazed  fondly  at  her, 
that  in  spite  of  her  quaint,  old-fashioned  garb,  and  homely 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

occupation,  she  appeared  more  truly  a  saint  than  any 
painted  on  cathedral  windows. 

He  soon  noticed  that  his  mother  had  grown  feeble,  and 
he  determined  to  take  her  with  him  on  his  return,  believing 
that,  by  his  care,  and  the  wise  use  of  tonics,  he  could  re 
store  her  to  her  wonted  strength.  His  increased  salary 
now  justified  the  step. 

Early  in  November  his  physician  said  he  might  return  to 
business  if  he  would  be  prudent.  He  gladly  availed  him 
self  of  the  permission,  for  he  longed  to  be  employed  again. 

The  clerks  all  welcomed  him  warmly,  for  his  good 
nature  had  disarmed  jealousy  at  his  rapid  rise.  But  in  the 
greeting  of  Mr.  Luclolph  he  missed  something  of  the  cord 
iality  he  expected. 

"  Perhaps  she  has  told  him,"  thought  he  ;  and  at  once 
his  own  manner  became  tinged  with  a  certain  coldness  and 
dignity.  He  determined  that  both  father  and  daughter 
should  think  of  him  only  with  respect. 

At  the  Bruders'  the  millennium  came  with  Dennis. 
Metaphorically  the  fatted  calf  was  killed  ;  their  plain  little 
room  was  trimmed  with  evergreens,  and  when  he  entered 
he  was  greeted  by  such  a  jubilant,  triumphant  chorus  of 
welcomes  as  almost  took  away  his  breath.  What  little  he 
had  left  was  suddenly  squeezed  out  of  him  ;  for  Mrs. 
Bruder,  dropping  her  frying-pan  and  dish-cloth,  rushed 
upon  him,  exclaiming,  "  Ah  !  mine  fren  !  mine  fren  !  De 
gQQJ  Qott  J3£j3raised  ;"  and  she  gave  him  an  embrace  that 
made  his  bones  ache. 

Mr.  Bruder  stalked  about  the  room  repeating  with  explo 
sive  energy,  like  minute-guns,  "  Pcaiiie^Gott  !  Praise 
Gott  !"  Ernst,  his  great  eyes  dimmed  with  happy  tears, 
clung  to  Dennis's  hand,  as  if  he  would  make  sure,  by  sense 
of  touch  as  well  as  sight,  that  he  had  regained  liis  beloved 
teacher.  The  little  Bruders  were  equally  jubilant,  though 
from  rather  mixed  motives.  Dennis's  arrival  was  very 
well,  but  they  could  not  keep  their  round  eyes  loug  off  the 


300  HARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

preparations  for  such  a  supper  as  never  before  had  blessed 
their  brief  career. 

"  Truly,"  thought  Dennis,  as  he  looked  around  upon  the 
happy  family,  and  contrasted  its  appearance  with  that 
which  it  had  presented  when  he  first  saw  it,  "  my  small 
investment  of  kindness  and  effort  in  this  case  has  returned 
large  interest.  I  think  it  pays  to  do  good." 

The  evening  was  one  of  almost  unmingled  happiness, 
even  to  his  sore,  disappointed  heart,  and  passed  into  memory 
as  among  the  sunniest  places  of  his  life. 

He  found  a  pleasant  little  cottage  over  on  the  West  side, 
part  of  which  he  rented  for  his  mother  and  sisters. 

With  Mr.  Ludolph's  permission  he  went  after  them,  and 
installed  them  in  it.  Thus  he  had  what  he  had  needed  all 
along,—  a  home,  a  resting-place  for  body  and  soul,  under 
the  watchful  eye  of  love. 

About  this  time  Dr.  Arten  met  him,  stared  a  moment, 
then  clapped  him  on  the  back  in  his  hearty  way,  saying, 
"  Well,  well,  young  man  !  you  have  cause  to  be  thankful, 
and  not  to  the  doctors,  either." 

"  I  think  I  am,"  said  Dennis,  smiling. 

Suddenly  the  doctor  looked  grave,  and  asked  in  a  stern 


voice,  "  Arje-yew-ar4ifiathen,  or  a_good_Christian  ?" 

"I  hope    not    the    fornieT,"Tr~replied    Dennis,    a  little 
startled. 

"  Then  don't  go  and  commit  suicide  again.     Don't  you 

know  flesh  and  blood  can  only  stand  so  much  ?     When  an 

intelligent  young  fellow  like  you  goes  beyond  that,  he  is 

(-committing  suicide.     Bless  your  soul,  my  ambitious  friend, 

\  the  ten  commandments  ain't  all  the  law  of  God.     His  laws 

/   \are  also  written  all  over  this  long  body  of  yours,  and  you 

came  near  paying  a  pretty  penalty  for  breaking   them. 

You  won't  get  off  the  second  time." 

"~  "  You  are  right,  doctor  ;  I  now  see  that  I  acted  very 
wrongly." 

"  '  Bring  forth  fruits  meet  for  repentan^"  '     I  am  rich 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

enough  to  give  sound  advice,"  said  the  brusque  old  phy 
sician,  passing  on. 

"Stop  a  moment,  doctor,"  cried  Dennis,  "  I  want  you 
to  see  my  mother." 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  her  ?  She  been  breaking  the 
commandments,  too  ?" 

"Oh,  no  !", exclaimed  Dennis.  "  She  is  not  a  bit  of  a 
heathen." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  about  that.  I  know  many  eminent 
saints  in  the  church  who  will  eat  lobster  salad  for  supper, 
and  then  send  for  the  doctor  and  minister  before  morning. 
There  is  a  precious  twaddle  about  'mysterious  Provi 
dence.'  Providence  isn't  half  so  mysterious  as  people 
make  out.  The  doctor  is  expected  to  look  serious  and 
sympathetic,  and  call  their  law-breaking  and  its  penally 
by  some  outlandish  Latin  name  that  no  one  can  under 
stand.  I  give  'em  the  square  truth,  and  tell  'em  they've 
been  breaking  the  commandments." 

Dennis  could  not  forbear  smiling  at  the  doctor's  rough 

handling  of  humbug,  even  in  one  of  its  most  respectable 

guises.     Then,  remembering  his  mother,  he  added,  gravely  ; 

"  I  am  truly  anxious  about  my  mother,  she  has  grown 

so  feeble.     I  want,  and  yet  dread,  the  truth." 

The  bantering  manner  of  the  good  old  doctor  changed 
at  once,  and  he  said,  kindly,  "  I'll  come,  my  boy,  within 
a  few  days,  though  I  am  nearly  run  off  my  feet." 

He  went  off,  muttering,  "  Why  don't  the  people  send  for 
some  of  the  youngsters  that  sit  kicking  up  their  heels  in 
their  offices  all  day  ?" 

Dennis  soon  fell  into  the  routine  of  work  and  rapidly 
grew  stronger.  But  his  face  had  acquired  a  gravity,  a 
something  in  expression  that  only  experience  gives,  which 
made  him  appear  older  by  ten  years.  All  trace  of  the  boy 
had  gone,  and  his  countenance  was  now  that  of  the  man,, 
and  of  one  who  had  suffered. 

As  soon  as  he  recovered  sufficient  strength  to  act  with 


302  BARRIERS  B  URNED  A  WA  Y. 

decision,  he  indignantly  tried  to  banish  Christine's  image 
from  his  memory.  But  he  found  this  impossible.  Though 
at  times  his  eyes  would  flash,  in  view  of  her  treatment, 
they  would  soon  grow  gentle  and  tender,  and  he  found 
himself  excusing  and  extenuating,  by  the  most  special 
pleadings,  that  which  he  had  justly  condemned. 

One  evening  his  mother  startled  him  out  of  a  long  revery, 
in  which  he  had  almost  vindicated  Christine,  by  saying] 
"  A  very  pleasant  smile  has  been  gradually  dawning  on 
your  face,  my  son. ' ' 

"Mother,"  replied  he,  hesitatingly,  "perhaps  I  have 
judged  Miss  Ludolph  harshly." 

"  Your  love,  not  your  reason,  has  evidently  been  plead 
ing  for  her." 

"  Well,  mother,  I  suppose  you  are  right." 

So  I  suppose  the  Divine  love  pleads  for  the  weak  and 
sinful,"  said  Mrs.  Fleet,  dieamily. 

"That  is  a  very  pleasant  thought,  mother,  for- some 
times  it  seems  that  my  love  could  make  black  white." 

"  That  the  Divine  love  has  done,  but  at  infinite  cost  to 
itself." 

"  Oh  that  my  love  at  any  cost  to  itself  could'  lead  her 
into  the  n£wJi£e_of  _the  believer  !"  said  Dennis,  in  a  low, 
earnest  tone. 

"  Your  love  is  like  the  Divine  in  being  unselfish,  but 
remember  the  vital  differences  and  take  heed.  God  can 
change  the  nature  of  the  imperfect  creature  that  He  loves. 
You  "cannot.  His  love  is  infinite  in  its  strength  and 
patience.  You  are  human.  The  proud,  selfish,  unbeliev 
ing  Miss  Ludolph  (pardon  mother's  plain  words)  could  not 
make  you  happy.  To  the  degree  that  you  were  loyal  to 
God,  you  would  be  unhappy,  and  I  should  surely  dread 
such  a  union.  The  whole  tone  of  your  moral  character 
would  have  to  be  greatly  lowered  to  permit  even 
peace." 
"But,  mother,"  said  Dennis,  almost  impatiently,  "in 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  30^ 

view  of  my  unconquerable  love,  it  is  nearly  the  same  as  if 
I  was  married  to  her  now." 

"  No,  my  son,  I  think  not.  I  know  your  pretty  theory 
on  this  subject,  but  it  seems  more  pretty  than  true.  Mar 
riage  makes  a  vital  difference.  It  is  the  closest  union  that 
we  can  voluntarily  form  on  earth,  and  is  the  emblem  of  the 
spiritual  oneness  of  the  believer's  soul  with  Christ.  We 
may  be  led  through  circumstances,  as  you  have  been,  to 
love  one  with  whom  we  should  not  form  such  a  union. 
Indeed,  in  the  true  and  mystic  meaning  of  the  rite,  you 
could  not  marry  Christine  Ludolph.  The  Bible  declares 
that  man  and  wife  shall  be  one.  Unless  she  changes,  un 
less  you  change  (and  that  God  forbid),  this  could  not  be. 
You  would  be  divided,  separated  in  the  deepest  essentials 
of  your  life  here,  and  in  every  respect  hereafter.  Agnin, 
while  God  loves  every  sinful  man  and  woman,  He  does  not 
take  them  to  His  heart  till  they  cry  out  to  Him  for  strength 
to  abandon  the  destroying  evil  He  hates.  There  are  no 
unchanged,  unrenewed  hearts  in  heaven." 

"  O  mother,  how  inexorable  is  your  logic  !"  said  Dennis, 
breathing  heavily. 

"Truth  in  the  end  is  ever  more  merciful  than  "false 
hood,"  she  answered,  gently. 

After  a  little,  he  said,  with  a  heavy  sigh,  "  Mother,  you 
are  right,  and  I  am  very  weak  and  foolish." 

She  looked  at  him  with  unutterable  tenderness.  She 
could  not  crush  out  all  hope,  and  so  whispered,  as  before  : 
"  Prayer  is  mighty,  my  child.  It  is  not  wrong  for  you  to 
love.  It  is  your  duty,  as  well  as  privilege,  to  pray  for  her. 
Trust  your  Heavenly  Father,  do  His  will,  and  He  will  solve 
this  question  in  the  very  best  way." 

Dennis  turned  to  his  mother  in  sudden  and  passionate 
earnestness,  and  said  :  "  Your  prayers  are  mighty,  mother, 
I  truly  believe.  Oh,  pray  for  her, — for  my  sake  as  well  as 
hers.  Looking  from  the  human  side,  I  am  hopeless.  It 
is  only  God's  almighty  power  that  can  make  us,  as  you 


304  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAT. 

say,  truly  one.  I  fear  that  now  she  is  only  a  heartless, 
fashionable  girl.  Yet,  if  she  is  only  this,  I  do  not  see  how 
I  came  to  love  her  as  I  do.  But  nay  trust  now  is  in  your 
prayers  to  God." 

"  And  in  your  own  also  :  the  great  Father  loves  you 
too,  my  son.  If  He  chooses  that  the  dross  in  her  character 
should  be  burned  away,  and  your  two  lives  fused,  there 
are  in  His  providence  just  the  fiery  trials,  just  the  circum 
stances  that  will  bring  it  about."  (Was  she  unconsciously 
uttering  a  prophecy  ?)  "  The  crucible  of  affliction,  the 
test  of  some  great  emergency,  will  often  develop  a  seem 
ingly  weak  and  frivolous  girl  into  noble  life,  where  there 
is  real  gold  of  latent  worth  to  be  acted  on. ' ' 

"  Christine  Ludolph  is  anything  but  weak  and  frivo 
lous,"  said  he.  "Her  character  is  strong,  and  I  think 
most  decided  in  its  present  bent.  But  as  you  say,  if  the 
Divine  Alchemist  wills  it,  He  can  change  even  the  dross  to 
gold,  and  turn  unbelief  to  faith." 

Hope,  Christine  !  There  is  light  coming,  though  as  yet 
you  cannot  see  it.  There  are  angels  of  mercy  flying; toward 
you,  though  you  cannot  hear  the  rustle  of  their  wings. 
The  dark  curtain  of  death  and-despair  can  never  shut  cjown 
upon  a  life  linked  to  heaven  by  such  true,  strong  prayer. 
And  yet  the  logical  results  of  wrong-doing  'will  work 
themselves  out,  sin  must  be  punished  and  faith  sorely  tried. 

Dennis  heard  incidentally  that  Christine  was  absent  on  a 
visit  to  New  York,  but  he  knew  nothing  of  the  time  of  her 
return. 

He  now  bent  himself  steadily  and  resolutely  to  the  mas 
tering  of  his  business,  and  under  Mr.  Bruder's  direction 
resumed  his  art  studies,  though  now  in  such  moderation 
as  Dr.  Arten  would  commend. 

He  also  entered  on  an  artistic  effort  that  would  tax  his 
powers  and  genius  to  the  very  utmost,  of  which  more 
anon. 

Ey  the  time  Christine  returned,  he  was  quite  himself 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  305 

again,  though  much  paler  and  thinner  than  when  he  first 
entered  the  store. 

After  Christine  had  been  at  home  nearly  a  week,  her 
father,  to  rouse  her  out  of  her  listlessness,  said  one  morn 
ing  :  "We  have  recently  received  quite  a  remarkable 
painting  from  Europe.  You  will  find  it  in  the  upper 
show-room,  and  had  better  come  down  to-day  to  see  it,  for 
it  may  be  sold  soon.  I  think  you  would  like  to  copy  one 
or, two  figures  in  it." 

The  lassitude  from  her  New  York  dissipation  was  pass 
ing  away,  and  her  active  nature  beginning  to  assert  itself 
again,.  She  started  up  and  said,  "  Wait  five  minutes  and 
I  will  get  sketching  materials  and  go  down  with  you." 

By  reason  of  her  interdict,  made  at  West  Point,  so  ear 
nestly,  and  indeed  fiercely,  and  confirmed  by  her  manner, 
her  father  had  never  mentioned  the  name  of  Dennis  Fleet. 
The  very  fact  that  no  one  had  spoken  of  him  since  that 
dreadful  day  when  tidings  came  in  on  every  side  that  he 
could  not  live  was  confirmation  in  her  mind  that  he  was 
dead. 

She  dreaded  going  to  the  store,  especially  for  the  first 
time,  for  everything  would  irresistibly  remind  her  of  him 
whom  she  could  not  think  of  now  without  a  pang.  But 
as  the  ordeal  must  come,  why,  the  sooner  it  was  over  the 
better.  So  a  few  moments  later  her  hand  was  on  her 
father's  arm,  and  they  were  on  their  way  to  the  Art  Build 
ing  as  in  happier  days. 

Mr.  Ludolph  went  to  his  office,  and  Christine,  looking 
neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left,  ascended  to  the  upper 
show-room,  and  at  once  sought  to  engage  every  faculty  in 
making  the  sketch  her  father  had  suggested.  Since  Dennis 
was  not,  as  she  believed,  either  on  the  earth  or  elsewhere, 
she  tried  to  take  up  life  again  as  it  had  been  before  he 
came,  and  to  act  as  if  he  had  never  been. 

Hopeless  task  !    In  that  familiar  place,  where  they  had 


306  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

begun  the  rearrangement  of  the  store,  everything  spoke  of 
him.  She  saw  his  glowing  cheeks  ;  again  his  dark,  eager 
eyes  followed  her  every  movement  and  interpreted  her 
wishes  even  before  she  could  speak.  Some  of  the  pictures 
on  the  walls  his  hands  had  handled,  and  in  her  strong  fancy 
his  lithe  form  seemed  moving  the  ladder  to  take  them 
down  again,  while  she,  with  heart  and  mind  at  rest,  looked 
with  growing  curiosity  and  interest  on  her  humble  helper. 

\Yhat  changes  had  occurred  within  a  short  half-year  ! 
She  shuddered  at  the  thought  that  one  who  was  then  so 
instinct  with  life  and  happiness  could  now  be  dust  and 
nothingness,  and  she  the  cause. 

Association  and  conscience  were  again  too  powerful. 
She  was  becoming  nervous  and  full  of  a  strange  unrest,  so 
she  concluded  to  finish  her  sketch  at  another  time.  As  she 
was  gathering  up  her  materials  she  heard  some  one  enter 
the  room. 

She  was  in  such  a  morbid,  unstrung  state  that  the  least 
thing  startled  her.  But  imagine  if  you  can  her  wonder 
and  terror  as  she  saw  Dennis  Fleet — the  dead  and  buried, 
as  she  fully  believed — enter,  carrying  a  picture  as  of  old, 
and  looking  as  of  old,  save  that  he  was  paler  and  thinner. 
Was  it  an  apparition  ?  or,  as  she  had  read,  had  she  dwelt 
so  long  on  this  trouble  that  her  mind  and  imagination  were 
becoming  disordered  and  able  to  place  their  wild  creations 
before  her  as  realities  ? 

Her  sketching  materials  fell  clattering  to  the  floor,  and 
after  one  sharp  exclamation  of  alarm  she  stood  as  if  trans 
fixed,  with  parted  lips  and  dilated  -eyes,  panting  like  a 
frightened  bird. 

If  a  sculptor  had  wished  to  portray  the  form  and  attitude 
of  one  startled  by  the  supernatural,  never  could  he  have 
found  a  more  fitting  model  than  Christine  at  this  moment. 

As  she  had  been  seated  a  little  on  one  side  Dennis  had 
not  seen  her  at  first ;  but,  on  recognizing  her  so  unex 
pectedly,  he  was  scarcely  less  startled  than  she,  and  the 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  307 

valuable  picture  he  was  carrying  nearty  met  sudden  de 
struction.  But  he  had  no  such  reason  as  Christine  for  the 
continuance  of  his  surprise,  and,  at  once  recovering  him 
self,  he  set  the  picture  against  the  wall. 

This  made  the  illusion  still  more  strange  and  terrible  to 
Christine.  There  was  the  dead  'before  her,  doing  just  as 
she  had  been  imagining,—  just  what  he  had  done  at  her 
bidding  months  before. 

Dennis  was  grtatly  puzzled  by  her  look  of  alarm  and 
distress.  Then  he  thought  that  perhaps  she  feared  he 
would  break  out  in  bitter  and  angry  invectives  again,  and 
he  advanced  toward  her  to  assure  her  of  the  contrary. 

Slowly  and  instinctively  she  retreated  and  put  up  her 
hands  with  a  deprecatory  gesture. 

"  She  cannot  endure  the  sight  of  me,"  thought  he,  but 
at  once  he  said,  with  dignified  courtesy  :  "  Miss  Ludolph, 
you  have  nothing  to  fear  from  me,  that  you  should  regard 
me  in  that  manner.  You  need  not  shrink  as  if  from  con 
tagion.  We  can  treat  each  other  as  courteous  strangers, 
at  least." 

"  I— I— I— thought  you  were  dead!"  she  gasped,  in  a 
loud  whisper. 

Dennis's  cheek  grew  paler  than  it  had  been  in  all  his 
sickness,  and  then  as  suddenly  became  dark  with  anger. 
His  eyes  were  terrible  in  their  indignation  as  he  advanced 
a  few  paces  almost  fiercely.  She  trembled  violently  and 
shrunk  farther  away. 

"  You  thought  I  was  dead  ?"  he  asked,  sternly. 

"  Ye-e-s,"  in  the  same  unnatural  whisper. 

"  What  !"  he  exclaimed,  in  short  and  bitter  emphasis, 
*'  do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  never  cared  even  to  ask 
whether  I  lived  or  died  in  my  long,  weary  illness  ?— that 
you  were  so  supremely  indifferent  to  my  fate  that  you 
could  not  articulate  one  sentence  of  inquiry  ?  Surely  this 
is  the  very  sublimity  of  heartlessness  ;  this  is  to  be  callous 
beyond  one's  power  of  imagination.  It  seems  to  me  that 


308  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT 

I  would  feel  as  much  interest  as  that  in  any  human  being 
I  had  once  known.  If  even  a  dog  had  licked  my  hand  in 
good-will,  and  afterward  I  had  seen  it,  wounded  or  sick, 
creep  off  into  a  covert,  the  next  time  I  passed  that  way 
I  would  step  aside  to  see  whether  the  poor  creature  had 
lived  or  died.  But  after  all  the  wealth  of  affection  that 
I  lavished  upon  you,  after  toiling  and  almost  dying  in  my 
vain  effort  to  touch  your  marble  heart,  you  have  not  even 
the  humanity  to  ask  if  I  am  above  ground  !" 

The  illusion  had  now  passed  from  Christine's  mind,  and 
with  it  her  alarm.  The  true  state  of  the  case  was  rapidly 
dawning  upon  her,  and  she  was  about  to  speak  eagerly  ; 
but  in  his  strong  indignation  he  continued,  impetuously  : 
"  You  thought  I  was  dead  !  The  wish  probably  was 
father  to  the  thought.  My  presumption  deserved  no  better 
fate.  But  permit  me  to  tell  you,  though  all  unbidden, 
I  did  not  die.  With  God's  blessing  I  expect  to  live  to  a 
good  old  age,  and  intend  that  but  few  years  shall  pass 
before  my  name  is  as  well  known  and  honored  as  the 
ancient  one  of  Ludolph  ;"  and  he  turned  on  his  heel  and 
strode  from  the  room. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

IF   HE   KNEW  ! 

FOR  a  little  time  after  Dennis's  angry  tread  died  away, 
Christine  sat  almost  paralyzed  by  surprise  and  deeper  emo 
tions.  Her  mind,  though  usually  clear  and  rapid  in  its 
action,  was  too  confused  to  realize  the  truth.  Suddenly 
she  sprung  up,  gathered  together  her  sketching  materials, 
and  drawing  a  thick  veil  over  her  face  sped  through  the 
store,  through  the  streets,  to  the  refuge  of  her  own  room. 
She  must  be  alone. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  309 

Hastily  throwing  aside  her  wrappings,  she  began  to  walk 
up  and  down  in  her  excitement.  Her  listlessness  was  gone 
now  in  very  truth,  and  her  eye  and  cheek  glowed  as  never 
before.  As  if  it  had  become  the  great  vivifying  principle 
of  her  own  life,  she  kept  repeating  continually  in  a  low, 
ecstatic  tone,  "  He  lives  !  he  lives  !  he  is  not  dead  ;  his 
blood  is  not  upon-  my  conscience  V 

At  last  she  sat  down  in  her  luxurious  chair  before  the 
window  to  think  it  all  over, — to  commune  with  herself, — 
often  the  habit  of  the  reserved  and  solitary.  From  the 
disjointed  sentences  she  let  fall,  from  the  reflection  of  her 
excited  face  in  yonder  glass,  we  gather  quite  correctly  the 
workings  of  her  mind.  Her  first  words  were,  "  Thank 
heaven  !  thank  something  or  other,  I  have  not  blotted  out 
that  true,  strong  genius." 

Again, — "  What  untold  wretchedness  I  might  have  saved 
myself  if  I  had  only  asked  the  question,  in  a  casual  way, 
'How  is  Mr.  Fleet  ?  '  Christine  Ludolph,  with  all  your 
pride  and  imagined  superiority,  you  can  be  very  foolish. 

"  How  he  hates  and  despises  nie  now  !  little  wonder  ! 

"  But  if  he  knew  ! 

' '  Knew  what  ?  Why  could  you  not  ask  after  him,  as 
after  any  other  sick  man  ?  You  have  had  a  score  or  so  of 
offers,  and  did  not  trouble  yourself  as  to  the  fate  of  the 
lovelorn  swains.  Seems  to  me  your  conscience  has  been 
very  tender  in  this  case.  And  the  fact  that  he  misjudges 
you,  thinks  you  callous,  heartless,  and  is  angry,  troubles 
you  beyond  measure. 

"  When  before  were  you  so  sensitive  to  the  opinion  of 
clerks  and  trades-people,  or  even  the  proudest  suitors  for 
your  hand  ?  But  in  this  case  you  must  cry  out,  in  a  tone 
of  sentimental  agony,  '  Oh,  if  he  only  knew  !  ' 

"  Knew  what  ?" 

Her  face  in  yonder  mirror  has  a  strange,  introverted  ex 
pression,  as  if  she  were  scanning  her  own  soul.  Her  brow 
contracts  with  thought  and  perplexity. 


310  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Gradually  a  warm,  beautiful  light  steals  into  lier  face, 
transforming  it  as  from  the  scowl  of  a  winter  morning  into 
a  dawn  of  June  ;  her  eyes  become  gentle  and  tender.  A 
rich  color  comes  out  upon  her  cheeks,  spreads  up  her 
temples,  mantles  her  brow,  and  pours  a  crimson  torrent 
down  her  snowy  neck.  Suddenly  she  drops  her  burning 
face  into  her  hands,  and  hides  a  vision  one  would  gladly 
look  longer  upon.  But  see,  even  her  little  ears  have  be 
come  as  red  as  coral. 

The  bleakest  landscape  in  the  world  brightens  into  some 
thing  like  beauty  when  the  sun  shines  upon  it.  So  love, 
the  richer,  sweeter  light  of  the  soul,  makes  the  plainest 
face  almost  beautiful  ;  but  when  it  changed  Christine 
Ludolph's  faultless,  yet  too  cold  and  classical,  features 
into  those  of  a  loving  woman's,  it  suggested  a  beauty 
scarcely  human. 

A  moment  later  there  came  a  faint  whisper  :  "  I  fear — 
I  almost  fear  I  love  him."  Then  she  lifted  a  startled, 
frightened  face  and  looked  timidly  around  as  if,  in  truth, 
walls  had  ears. 

Reassured  by  the  consciousness  of  solitude,  her  head 
dropped  on  her  wrist  and  her  re  very  went  forward.  Her 
eyes  became  dreamy,  and  a  half-smile  played  upon  her  lips 
as  she  recalled  proof  after  proof  of  his  affection,  for  she 
knew  the  cruel  words  of  the  last  interview  were  the  result 
of  misunderstanding. 

But  suddenly  she  darted  from  her  seat  and  began  pacing 
the  room  in  the  strongest  perturbation. 

"  Mocked  again  ! ' '  she  cried  ;  ' '  the  same  cruel  fate  !  my 
old  miserable  experience  in  a  new  aspect  !  With  every 
thing  within  my  reach,  save  the  one  thing  I  want,  I  pos 
sess  the  means  of  all  kinds  of  happiness  except  that  which 
makes  me  happy.  In  every  possible  way  I  am  pledged  to 
a  career  and  future  in  which  he  can  take  no  part.  Though 
my  heart  is  full  of  the  strangest,  sweetest  chaos,  and  I  do 
not  truly  understand  myself,  yet  I  am  satisfied  that  this  is 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  311 

not  a  school-girl's  fancy.  But  my  father  would  regard  it 
as  the  old  farce  repeated.  Already  he  suspects  and  frowns 
upon  the  matter.  I  should  have  to  break  with  him  utterly 
and  forever.  I  should  have  to  give  up  all  my  ambitious 
plans  and  towering  hopes  of  life  abroad.  A  plain  Mrs.  in 
this  city  of  shops  is  a  poor  substitute  for  a  countess's  coro 
net  and  a  villa  on  the  Rhine." 

Her  cheek  flushed,  and  her  lip  curled. 

"  That  indeed  would  be  the  very  extravagance  of 
romance,  and  how  could  I,  least  of  all,  who  so  long  have 
scoffed  at  such  things,  explain  my  action  ?  These  mush 
room  shopkeepers,  who  were  all  nobodies  the  other  day, 
elevate  their  eyebrows  when  a  merchant's  daughter  marries 
her  father's  clerk.  But  when  would  the  wonder  cease  if  a 
German  lady  of  rank  followed  suit  ? 

"  Then  again  my  word,  my  honor,  every  sacred  pledge 
I  could  give,  forbids  such  folly. 

"  Would  to  heaven  I  had  never  seen  him,  for  this  un 
fortunate  fancy  of  mine  must  be  crushed  in  its  inception  ; 
strangled  before  it  comes  to  master  me  as  it  has  mastered 
him." 

After  a  long  and  weary  sigh  she  continued  :  ' '  Well, 
everything  is  favorable  for  a  complete  and  final  break 
between  us.  He  believes  me  heartless  and  wicked  to  the 
last  degree.  I  cannot  undeceive  him  without  showing 
more  than  he  should  know.  I  have  only  to  avoid  him,  to 
say  nothing,  and  we  drift  apart.1 

"If  we  could  only  have  been  friends  he  might  have 
helped  me  so  much  !  but  that  now  is  clearly  impossible, — 
yes,  for  both  of  us. 

"  Truly  one  of  these*  American  poets  was  right : — 

1  '  For  of  all  sad  words  of  tongue  or  pen, 

The  saddest  are  these,— it  might  have  been.' 

"  But  thanks  to  the  immortal  gods,  as  the  pious  heathen 
vised  to  say,  his  blood  is  not  on  my  hands,  and  this  has 


312  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

taken  a  mountain  off  my  heart.  Thus  relieved  I  can  per 
haps  forget  all  the  miserable  business.  Fate  forbids  that  I, 
as  it  has  forbidden  that  many  another  high-born  woman, 
should  marry  where  she  might  have  loved." 

If  Christine's  heart  was  wronged,  her  pride  was  highly 
gratified  by  this  conclusion.  Here  was  a  new  and  strong 
resemblance  between  herself  and  the  great.  In  mind  she 

I  recalled  the  titled  unfortunates  who  had  "loved  where 
they  could  not  marry,"  and  with  the  air  and  feeling  of  a 
martyr  to  ancestral  grandeur  she  pensively  added  her 
name  to  the  list. 

With  her  conscience  freed  from  its  burden  of  remorse, 
with  the  knowledge,  so  sweet  to  every  woman,  that  she 
might  accept  this  happiness  if  she  would,  in  spite  of  her 
airs  of  martyrdom,  the  world  had  changed  greatly  for  the 
better,  and  with  the  natural  buoyancy  of  youth  she  reacted 
into  quite  a  cheerful  and  hopeful  state. 

Her  father  noticed  this  on  his  return  to  dinner  in  the 
evening,  and  sought  to  learn  its  cause.  He  asked,  "  How 
did  you  make  out  with  your  sketch  ?" 

"I  made  a  beginning,"  she  answered,  with  some  little 
color  rising  to  her  cheek. 

"  Perhaps  you  were  interrupted  ?" 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  that  Mr.  Fleet  had  recov 
ered  ?"  she  asked,  abruptly. 

"  Why,  did  you  think  he  was  dead  ?'.' 

"  Yes." 

Mr.  Ludolph  indulged  in  a  hearty  laugh  (he  knew  the 
power  of  ridicule) 

"Well,  that  is  excellent !"  he  said.  "You  thought  the 
callow  youth  had  died  on  account  of  your  hardness  of 
heart ;  and  this  explains  your  rather  peculiar  moods  and 
tenses  of  late.  Let  me  assure  you  that  a  Yankee  never 
dies  from  such  a  cause." 

Mr.  Ludolph  determined  if  possible  to  break  down  her 
reserve  and  let  in  the  garish  light,  which  he  knew  to  l>e 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  313 

most  fatal  to  all  romantic  fancies,  that  ever  thrive  best  in 
the  twilight  of  secrecy.  But  she  was  on  the  alert  now, 
and  in  relief  of  mind  had  regained  her  poise  and  the  power 
to  mask  her  feeling.  So  she  said  in  a  tone  tinged  with 
cold  indifference,  "  You  may  be  right,  but  I  had  good 
reason  to  believe  to  the  contrary,  and,  as  I  am  not  alto 
gether  without  a  conscience,  you  might  have  saved  much 
pain  by  merely  mentioning  the  fact  of  his  recovery." 

"  But  you  had  a4jured  me  with  frightful  solemnity  never 
to  mention  his  name  again,"  said  her  father,  still  laughing. 

Christine  colored  and  bit  her  lip.  She  had  forgotten  for 
the  moment  this  awkward  fact. 

"  I  was  nervous,  sick,  and  not  myself  that  day,  and  every 
one  I  met  could  speak  of  nothing  but  Mr.  Fleet."  f 

""Well,  really,"  he  said,  "  in  the  long  list  of  the  victims 
that  you  have  wounded  if  not  slain,  I  never  supposed  my 
clerk  and  quondam  man-of  -all- work  would  prove  so  serious 
a  case." 

"  A  truce  to  your  bantering,  father  I  Mr.  Fleet  is  humble 
only  in  station,  not  in  character,  not  in  ability.  You  know 
I  have  never  been  very  tender  with  the  '  victims,'  as  you 
designate  them,  of  the  Mellen  stamp  ;  but  Mr.  Fleet  is  a 
man,  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word,  and  one  that  I  have 
wronged.  Now  that  the  folly  is  past  I  may  as  well  explain 
to  you  some  things  ,that  have  appeared  strange.  I  think 
I  can  truly  say  that  I  have  given  those  gentlemen  who 
have  honored,  or  rather  annoyed  me,  by  their  unwished -for 
regard,  very  little  encouragement.  Therefore,  I  was  not 
responsible  for  any  follies  they  might  commit.  But  for 
artistic  reasons  I  did  encourage  Mr.  Fleet's  infatuation. 
You  remember  how  I  failed  in  making  a  copy  of  that  pic 
ture.  In  my  determination  to  succeed,  I  hit  upon  the 
rather  novel  expedient  of  inspiring  and  copying  the  genuine 
thing.  You  know  my  imitative  power  is  better  than  my 
imagination,  and  I  thought  that  by  often  witnessing  the 
expression  of  feeling  and  passion,  I  might  learn  to  portray 


314  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

it  without  the  disagreeable  necessity  of  passing  through 
any  such  experiences  myself.  But  the  experiment,  as  you 
know,  did  not  work  well.  These  living  subjects  are  hard 
to  manage,  and,  as  I  have  said,  I  am  troubled  by  a  con 
science." 

Mr.  Ludolph's  eyes  sparkled,  and  a  look  of  genuine 
admiration  lighted  up  his  features. 

"  Brava  !"  he  cried  ;  "  your  plan  was  worthy  of  you  and 
of  your  ancestry.  It  was  a  real  stroke  of  genius.  You 
were  too  tender-hearted,  otherwise  it  would  have  been 
perfect.  What  are  the  lives  of  a  dozen 'jsuch  young  fellows 
compared  with  the  development  and  perfection  of  such  a 
woman  as  you  bid  fair  to  be  ?" 

Christine  had  displayed  in  this  transaction  just  the  quali 
ties  that  her  father  most  admired.  But  even  she  was 
shocked  at  his  callousness,  and  lifted  a  somewhat  startled 
face  to  his. 

"  Your  estimate  of  human  life  is  rather  low,"  she  said. 

"  Not  at  all.  Is  not  one  perfect  plant  better  than  a  dozen 
imperfect  ones  ?  The  gardener  often  pulls  up  the  crowd 
ing  and  inferior  ones  to  throw  them  about  the  roots  of  the 
strongest,  that  in  their  death  and  decay  they  may  nourish 
it  to  the  highest  development.  The  application  of  this 
principle  is  evident.  They  secure  most  in  this  world  who 
have  the  skill  and  power  to  grasp  most." 

"  But  how  about  the  rights  of  others  ?  Conscious  men 
and  women* are  not  plants." 

"  Let  them  be  on  their  guard  then.  Every  one  is  for 
himself  in  this  world.  That  can  be  plainly  seen  through 
the  thin  disguises  that  some  try  to  assume.  After  all,  half 
the  people  we  meet  are  little  better  than  summer  weeds." 

Christine  almost  shuddered  to  think  that  the  one  bound 
to  her  by  closest  ties  cherished  such  sentiments  toward  the 
world,  and  probably,  to  a  certain  extent,  toward  herself, 
but  she  only  said,  quietly  :  "  I  can  hardly  subscribe  to 
your  philosophy  as  yet,  though  I  fear  I  act  upon  it  too 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  315 

often.  Still  it  does  not  apply  to  Mr.  Fleet.  He  is  gifted 
in  no  ordinary  degree,  and  doubtless  will  stand  high  here 
in  his  own  land  in  time.  And  now,  as  explanation  has 
been  made,  with  your  permission  we  will  drop  this  subject 
out  of  our  conversation  as  before." 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  Ludolph  to  himself,  between  sips  of 
his  favorite  Rhine,  wine,  "  I  have  gained  much  light  on  the 
subject  to-night,  and  I  must  confess  that,  even  with  my 
rather  wide  experience,  the  whole  thing  is  a  decided  nov 
elty.  If  Christine  were  only  less  troubled  with  conscience, 
over-fastidiousness,  or  whatever  it  is,— if  she  were  more 
moderate  in  her  ambition  as  an  artist,  and  could  be  satisfied 
with  power  and  admiration,  as  other  women  are, — what  a 
star  she  might  become  in  the  fashionable  world  of  Europe  I 
But,  for  some  reason,  I  never  feel  sure  of  her.  Her  spirit 
is  so  wilful  and  obstinate,  and  she  seems  so  full  of  vague 
longing  after  an  ideal,  impossible  world,  that  I  live  in  con 
stant  dread  that  she  may  be  led  into  some  folly  fatal  to  my 
ambition.  This  Fleet  is  a  most  dangerous  fellow.  I  wish 
I  were  well  rid  of  him  ;  still,  matters  are  not  so  bad  as 
I  feared — that  is,  if  she  told  me  the  whole  truth,  which 
I  am  inclined  to  doubt.  But  I  had  better  keep  him  in  my 
employ  during  the  few  months  we  still  remain  in  this  land, 
as  I  can  watch  over  him,  and  guard  against  his  influence 
better  than  if  he  were  beyond  my  control.  But  no  more 
promotion  or  encouragement  does  he  get  from  me." 

Janette,  Christine's  French  maid,  passed  the  open  door. 
The  thought  struck  Mr.  Ludolph  that  he  might  secure  an 
ally  in  her. 

The  unscrupulous  creature  was  summoned,  and  agreed 
for  no  very  large  sum  to  become  a  spy  upon  Christine, 
and  report  anything  looking  toward  friendly  relations  with 
Dennis  Fleet. 

"The  game  is  still  in  my  hands,"  said  the  wary  man. 
"  I  will  yet  steer  my  richly-freighted  argosy  up  the  Rhine. 
Here's  to  Christine,  the  belle  of  the  German  court  1"  and 


316  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

he  filled  a  slender  Venetian  glass  to  the  brim,  drained  it, 
and  then  retired. 

Christine,  on  reaching  her  room,  muttered  to  herself  : 
"  He  now  knows  all  that  I  mean  he  ever  shall.  We  are 
one  in  our  ambition,  if  nothing  else,  and  therefore  our 
relations  must  be  to  a  certain  degree  confidential  and 
amicable.  And  now  forget  you  have  a  conscience,  forget 
you  have  a  heart,  and,  above  all  things,  forget  that  you 
have  ever  seen  or  known  Dennis  Fleet." 

Thus  the  influence  of  a  false  education,  a  proud,  selfish, 
ambitious  life,  decided  her  choice.  She  plunged  as  reso* 
lutely  into  the  whirl  of  fashionable  gayety  about  her  as  she 
had  in  the  dissipations  of  New  York,  determined  to  forget 
the  past,  and  kill  the  time  that  must  intervene  before  she 
could  sail  away  to  her  brilliant  future  in  Germany. 

But  she  gradually  learned  that,  if  conscience  had  robbed 
her  of  peace  before,  something  else  disturbed  her  now,  and 
rendered  her  efforts  futile.  She  found  that  there  was  a 
principle  at  work  in  her  heart  stronger  even  than  her  reso 
lute  will.  In  spite  of  her  purpose  to  the  contrary,  she 
caught  herself  continually  thinking  of  Dennis,  and  indulg 
ing  in  strange,  delicious  reveries  in  regard  to  him. 

At  last  she  ceased  to  shun  the  store  as  she  had  done  at 
first,  but  with  increasing  frequency  found  some  necessity 
for  going  there. 

After  the  interview  in  the  show-room,  Dennis  was  driven 
to  the  bitter  conclusion  that  Christine  was  utterly  heart 
less,  and  cared  not  a  jot  for  him.  His  impression  was  con 
firmed  by  the  fact  that  she  shunned  the  store,  and  that  he 
soon  heard  of  her  as  a  belle  and  leader  in  the  ultra -fashion 
able  world.  He,  too,  bitterly  lamented  that  he  had  ever 
seen  her,  and  was  struggling  with  all  the  power  of  nis  will 
to  forget  her.  He  fiercely  resolved  that,  since  she  wished 
him  dead,  she  should  become  dead  to  him. 

Almost  immediately  after  his  return  he  had  discovered 
that  the  two  emblematical  pictures  ha(l  been  removed  from 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  317 

the  loft  over  the  store.  He  remembered  that  he  had  spoken 
of  them  to  Christine,  and  from  Ernst  he  gathered  that  she 
hej  self  had  taken  them  away.  It  was  possible,  he  believed, 
that  she  had  made  them  the  subject  of  ridicule.  At  best 
she  must  have  destroyed  them  in  order  to  blot  out  all  trace 
of  a  disagreeable  episode.  Whatever  may  have  been  their 
fate,  they  listd,  as  he  thought,  failed  in  their  purpose,  and. 
were  worthless  to  Mm,  and  he  was  iar  »oo  proud  to  make 
inquiries. 

As  the  weeks  passed  on,  he  apparently  succeeded  better 
than  she.  There  was  nothing  in  her  character,  as  she  then 
appeared,  that  appealed  to  anything  gentle  or  generous. 
She  seemed  so  proud,  so  strong  and  resolute  in  her  choice 
of  evil,  so  devoid  of  the  true  womanly  nature,  as  he  had 
learned  to  reverence  it  in  his  mother,  that  he  could  not 
pity,  much  less  respect  her,  and  even  his  love  could  scarcely 
survive  under  such  circumstances. 

When  she  began  coming  to  the  store  again,  though  his 
heart  beat  thick  and  fast  at  her  presence,  he  turned  his 
back  and  seemed  not  to  see  her,  or  made  some  errand  to  a 
remote  part  of  the  building.  At  first  she  thought  this 
might  be  accident,  but  she  soon  found  it  a  resolute  pur 
pose  to  ignore  her  very  existence.  By  reason  of  a  trait 
peculiar  to  Christine,  this  was  only  the  more  stimulating. 
She  craved  all  the  more  that  which  was  seemingly  denied. 

Accustomed  to  every  gratification,  to  see  all  yield  to  her 
wishes,  and  especially  to  find  gentlemen  almost  powerless 
to  resist  her  beauty,  she  came  to  regard  this  one  stern, 
averted  face  as  infinitely  more  attractive  than  all  the  rest 
in  the  world. 

"  That  he  so  steadily  avoids  me  proves  that  he  is  anything 
bu3l  indifferent,"  she  said  to  herself  one  day. 

She  condemned  her  visits  to  the  store,  and  often  re 
proached  herself  with  folly  in  going  ;  but  a  secret  power 
ful  magnetism  drew  her  thither  in  spite  of  herself. 
1  Dennis,  too,  soon  noticed  that  she  came  often,  and  the 


318  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

fact  awakened  a  faint  hope  within  him.  He  learned  that 
his  love  was  not  dead,  but  only  chilled  and  chained  by 
circumstances  and  his  own  strong  will.  True,  apart  from 
the  fact  of  her  coming,  she  gave  him  no  encouragement. 
She  was  as  distant  and  seemingly  oblivious  of  his  existence 
as  he  of  hers,  but  love  can  gather  hope  from  a  marvellously 
little  thing. 

But  one  day  Christine  detected  her  father  watching  her 
movements  with  the  keenest  scrutiny,  and  after  that  she 
came  more  and  more  rarely.  The  hope  that  for  a  moment 
had  tinged  the  darkness  surrounding  Dennis  died  away  like 
the  meteor's  transient  light. 

He  went  into  society  very  little  after  his  illness,  and 
shunned  large  companies.  He  preferred  to  spend  hi.s  even 
ings  with  his  mother  and  in  study.  The  Winthrops  were 
gone,  having  removed  to  their  old  home  in  Boston,  and  he 
had  not  formed  very  intimate  acquaintances  -eteewhere. 
Moreover,  his  limited  circle,  though  of  the  best  and  most 
refined,  was  not  one  in  which  Christine  often  appeared. 

But  one  evening  his  cheek  paled  and  his  heart  fluttered 
as  he  saw  her  entering  the  parlors  of  a  lady  by  whom  he 
had  been  invited  to  meet  a  few  friends.  For  some  little 
time  he  studiously  avoided  her,  but  at  last  his  hostess,  with 
well-meant  zeal,  formally  presented  him. 

They  bowed  very  politely  and  very  coldly.  The  lady 
surmised  that  Christine  did  not  care  about  the  acquaintance 
of  her  father's  clerk,  and  so  brought  them  no  more  together. 
But  Christine  was  pained  by  Dennis's  icy  manner,  and  saw 
that  she  was  thoroughly  misunderstood.  When  asked  to 
»ing,  she  chose  a  rather  significant  ditty  : — 

"  Ripple,  sparkle,  rapid  stream, 
Let  your  dancing  wavelets  gleam 

Quiveringly  and  bright  ; 
Children  think  the  surface  glow 
Reaches  to  the  depth  below, 
Hidden  from  the  light. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  319 

"  Human  faces  often  seem 
Like  the  sparkle  of  the  stream, 

In  the  social  glare  ; 
Some  assert,  in  wisdom's  guise, 
(Look  they  not  with  children's  eyes  T) 
All  is  surface  there." 

As  she  rose  from  the  piano  her  glance  met  his  with 
something  like  meaning  in  it,  he  imagined.  He  started, 
flushed,  and  his  face  became  full  of  eager  questioning. 
But  her  father  was  on  the  watch  also,  and,  placing  his 
daughter's  hand  within  his  arm,  he  led  her  into  the  front 
parlor,  and  soon  after  they  pleaded  another  engagement 
and  vanished  altogether. 

No  chance  for  explanation  came,  and  soon  a  new  and 
all-absorbing  anxiety  filled  Dennis's  heart,  and  the  shadow 
of  the  greatest  sorrow  that  he  had  yet  experienced  daily 
drew  nearer. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE   GATES   OPEN. 

AT  Dennis's  request,  Dr.  Arten  called  and  carefully  in 
quired  into  Mrs.  Fleet's  symptoms.  Her  son  stood  anx 
iously  by  awaiting  the  result  of  the  examination.  At  last 
the  physician  said,  cheerily  :  "  There  is  no  immediate  occa 
sion  for  alarm  here.  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  your  mother's 
lungs  are  far  from  strong,  but  they  may  carry  her  through 
many  comfortable  years  yet.  I  will  prescribe  tonics,  and 
you  may  hope  for  the  best.  But  mark  this  well,  she  must 
avoid  exposure.  A  severe  cold  might  be  most  serious  in 
its  consequences." 

How  easy  to  say,  "  Do  not  take  cold  !"  How  many 
whose  lives  were  at  stake  have  sought  to  obey  the  warn 
ing,  but  all  in  vain  !  Under  Dr.  Arten's  tonics,  Mrs.  Fleet 


320  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

grew  stronger,  and  Dennis  rejoiced  over  the  improvement. 
But,  in  one  of  the  sudden  changes  attendant  on  the  break- 
ing  up  of  winter,  the  dreaded  cold  was  taken,  and  it  soon 
developed  into  acute  pneumonia. 

For  a  few  days  she  was  very  ill,  and  Dennis  <*iever  left 
her  side.  In  the  intervals  of  pain  and  fever  she  would 
smile  at  him  and  whisper  :  "  The  harbor  is  near.  This 
rough  weather  cannot  last  much  longer." 

"Mother,  do  not  leave  us  ;  we  cannot  spare  you,"  ever 
pleaded  her  son. 

Contrary  to  her  expectations,  however,  she  rallied,  but 
continued  in  a  very  feeble  state.  Dennis  was  able  to  re 
sume  his  duties  in  the  store,  and  he  hoped  and  tried  to  be 
lieve  that  the  warm  spring  and  summer  days  soon  to  come 
would  renew  his  mother's  strength.  But  every  day  she 
grew  feebler,  and  Dr.  Arten  shook  his  head. 

'  The  Binders  weie  very  kind,  and  it  was  astonishing  how 
much  Mrs.  Bruder,  though  burdened  with  her  large  fam 
ily,  found  time  to  do.  If  Mrs.  Fleet  had  been  her  own 
mother  she  could  not  have  bestowed  upon  her  more  loving 
solicitude.  Mr.  Bruder  was  devotion  itself.  He  removed 
his  easel  to  an  attic-room  in  Mrs.  Fleet's  house  ;  and  every 
hour  of  Dennis's  absence  heard  him  say  :  "  Vat  I  do  for 
you  now  ?  I  feel  no  goot  unless  I  do  someding. " 

Some  little  time  after  Mrs.  Fleet  was  taken  sick  a  mys 
tery  arose.  The  most  exquisite  flowers  and  fruit  were  left 
at  the  house  from  time  to  time,  marked  in  a  bold,  manly 
hand,  '*  For  Mrs.  Fleet."  But  all  efforts  to  discover  their 
source  failed. 

The  reader  will  guess  that  Christine  was  the  donor,  and 
Dennis  hoped  it, — though,  he  admitted  to  himself,  with 
little  reason. 

Mrs.  Fleet  had  not  much  pain.  She  seemed  gently 
wafted  as  by  an  ebbing  tide  away  from  time  and  earth. 
Kindly  but  firmly  she  sought  to  prepare  Dennis's  mind  for 
the  change  soon  to  take  place.  At  first  he  could  not  en- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  321 

dure  its  mention,  but  she  said,  earnestly  :  "  My  son,  I  am 
not  dying.  I  am  just  entering  on  the  true,  real,  eternal 
life, — a  life  which  is  as  much  beyond  this  poor  feeble  ex 
istence  as  the  sun  is  brighter  than  a  glow-worm.  I  shall 
soon,  clasp  my  dear  husband  to  my  heart  again,  and,  oh, 
ecstasy  I  I  shall  soon  in  reality  see  the  Saviour  whom  I 
now  see  almost  continually  in  vision." 

Then  again  she  would  turn  toward  her  earthly  treasures 
with  unutterable  yearning  and  tenderness. 

"  Oh  that  I  could  gather  you  up  in  my  arms  and  take 
you  all  with  me  I"  she  would  often  exclaim.  Many  times 
during  the  day  she  would  call  the  little  girls  from  their 
play  and  kiss  their  wondering  faces. 

One  evening  Dennis  came  home  and  found  a  vase  of 
flowers  with  a  green  background  of  mint,  at  his  mother's 
bedside.  Their  delicate  fragrance  greeted  him  as  soon  as 
he  entered.  As  he  sat  by  her  side  holding  her  hand,  he 
said,  softly  :  "  Mother,  are  not  these  sprays  of  mint  rather 
unusual  in  a  bouquet  ?  Has  the  plant  any  special  mean 
ing  ?  I  have  noticed  it  before  mingled  with  these  myste 
rious  flowers.'* 

She  smiled  and  answered,  "  When  I  was  a  girl  its  lan 
guage  was,  c  Ltrtjusjjfi  friendsjigain. '  " 

"  Do  you  think — can  it  be  possible  that  she  sends  them  ?" 
said  he,  in  a  low,  hesitating  tone. 

"  Etayer  is  mighty,  my  son. "  V 

"  And  have  you  besn  praying  for  her  all  this  time, 
mother?" 

"  Yes,  and  will  continue  to  do  so  to  the  last." 

"  O  mother  !  I  have  lost  hope.  My  heart  has  been  full 
of  bitterness  toward  her,  and  I  have  felt  that  God  was 
against  it  all." 

"  God  is  not  against  MLJejjrriin^JtoJkno_w  Him,  which  is 
life.  Jesus  has  loved  her  all  the  time,  and  she  has  wronged 
HmTmore  than  she  has  you." 

Dennis  bowed  his  head  on  his  mother's  hand,  and  she 


322  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

felt  hot  tears  fall  upon  it.  At  last  he  murmured  :  "  Y"ou 
are  indeed  going  to  heaven  soon,  dear  mother,  for  your 
language  is  not  of  earth.  When  will  such  a  spirit  dwell 
within  me  ?" 

"Again  remember  your  mother's  words,"  she  answered, 
gently  ;  "  praj^r_ismighty.'' 

"  Mother^' '  said  he,  with  a  sudden  earnestness,  "  do  you 
think  you  can  pray  for  us  in  heaven  ?" 
"  I  know  of  no  reason  to  the  contrary." 
"  Then  I  know  you  will,  and  the  belief  will  ever  be  a 
source  of  hope  and  strength." 

Mrs.  Fleet  was  now  passing  througb  the  land  of  Beulah. 
|To  her  strong  spiritual  vision,  the  glories  of  the  other  shore 
J seemed  present,  and  at  times  she  thought  that  she  really 
heard  music  ;  again  it  would  seem  as  if  her  Saviour  had 
Centered  the  plain  little  room,  as  He  did  the  humble  home 
\at  Bethany. 

Her  thoughts  ran  much  on  Christine.  One  day  she 
wrote,  feebly : — 

*  Would  Miss  Ludolph  be  willing  to  come  and  see  a  dyin^  woman  ? 

"ETHEL  FLEET." 

Mr.  Bruder  carried  it,  but  most  unfortunately  Christine 
was  out,  so  that  her  maid,  ever  on  the  alert  to  earn  the 
price  of  her  treachery,  received  it.  It  was  slightly  sealed. 
She  opened  it,  and  saw  from  its  contents  that  it  must  be 
given  to  Mr.  Ludolph.  He  with  a  frown  committed  it  to 
the  flames.  • 

"  I  have  written  to  her,"  she  whispered  to  her  son  in  the 
evening,  ' '  and  think  she  will  come  to  see  me. ' ' 

Dennis  was  sleepless  that  night,  through  his  hope  and 
eager  expectation.  The  following  day,  and  the  next  passed, 
and  she  came  not. 

"I  was  right,"  exclaimed  he,  bitterly.  "  She  is  utteily 
heartless.  It  was  not  she  who  sent  the  flowers.  Who  that 
is  human  would  have  refused  such  a  request  !  Waste  no 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  323 

more  thought  upon  her,  for  she  is  un\vorthy,  and  it  is  all 
in  vain." 

"  No  !"  said  Mrs.  Fleet  in  sudden  energy.  "  It  is  not  in 
vain.  Have  I  not  prayed  again  and  again  t  and  shall  I 
doubt  God?" 

"  Your  faith  is  stronger  than  mine, "he answered,  in  deep 
despondency: 

"  God's  time  is  not  always  ours,"  she  answered,  gently. 

But  an  angry  fire  lurked  in  Dennis's  eyes,  and  he  mut-f 
tered  to  himself  as  he  went  to  his  room  :  "  She  has  snapped^  ^ 
the  last  slender  cord  that  bound  me  to  her.  I  could  endure^ 
almost  anything  myself,  but  that  she  should  refuse  to  visit 
my  dying  mother  proves  her  a  monster,  with  all  her 
beauty." 

As  he  was  leaving  the  house  in  the  morning,  his  mother 
whispered,  gently,  "  Wha  was  jtthat  saidA'  Father,  forgive  v/- 
them,  they  know  not  what  they  do  '  ?" 

^*"3H,  but  she  does  know,"  said  he,  bitterly.  "I  can 
forgive  nearly  everything  against  myself,  but  not  slights 
to  you." 

"  The  time  will  come  when  you  will  forgive  everything, 
my  son." 

"Not  till  there  is  acknowledgment  and  sorrow  for  the 
wrong,"  answered  he,  sternly.  Then  with  a  sudden  burst 
of  tenderness  he  added  :  "  Good-by,  darling  mother.  I 
will  try  to  do  anything  you  wish,  even  though  it  is  impossi 
ble  ;"  but  his  love,  through  Janette's  treachery,  suffered 
the  deepest  wound  it  had  yet  received. 

Christine  of  her  own  accord  had  almost  decided  to  call 
upon  Mrs.  Fleet,  but  before  she  could  carry  out  her  pur 
pose,  while  hastily  coming  downstairs  one  day,  she  sprained 
her  ankle,  and  was  confined  to  her  room  some  little  time. 

She  sent  Janette  with  orders  for  the  flowers,  who,  at  once 
surmising  their  destination,  said  to  the  florist  that  she  was 
Miss  Ludolph's  confidential  maid,  and  would  carry  them  to 
those  for  whom  they  were  designed.  He,  thinking  it  "  all 


324  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

right,"  gave  them  to  her,  and  she  took  them  to  a  FrencL 
man  in  the  same  trade  whom  she  knew,  and  sold  them  at, 
half-price,  giving  him  a  significant  sign  to  ask  no  questions. 
To  the  same  market  she  brought  the  fruit ;  so  from  that 
time  they  ceased  as  mysteriously  as  they  had  appeared  at 
Mrs.  Fleet's  bedside. 

But  Dennis  was  so  anxious,  and  his  mother  was  now  fail 
ing  so  rapidly,  that  he  scarcely  noted  this  fact.  The  warm 
spring  days  seemed  rather  to  enervate  than  to  strengthen 
her.  He  longed  to  stay  with  her  constantly,  but  his  daily 
labor  was  necessary  to  secure  the  comforts  needful  to  an 
invalid.  Every  morning  he  bade  her  a  most  tender  adieu, 
and  during  the  day  often  sent  Ernst  to  inquire  how  she 
was. 

One  evening  Christine  ventured  to  send  Janette  on  the 
same  errand  and  impatiently  awaited  her  return.  At  last 
she  came,  appearing  as  if  flushed  and  angry. 

"  Whom  did  you  see  ?"  asked  Christine,  eagerly. 

"  I  saw  Mr.  Fleet  himself." 

"  Well,  what  did  he  say  ?" 

"He  bite  his  lip,  frown,  and  say,  '  Zere  is  no  answer,' 
and  turn  on  his  heel  into  ze  house/' 

It  was  now  Christine's  turn  to  be  angry.     "  What  I"  she 
f  exclaimed,  "  does  his  Bible  teach  him  to  forget  and  forgive 
I  nothing  ?    Can  it  be  that  he,  like  the  rest  of  them,  believes 
and  acts  on  only  such  parts  as  are  to  his  mood  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  nothing  about  him,"  said  the  maid, "  only 
I  don't  want  to  go  zere  again." 

"  You  need  not, "  was  the  brief  reply. 

After  a  long,  bitter  revery,  she  sighed  :  "  Ah,  well,  thus 
we  drift  apart.  But  it  is  just  as  well,  for  apart  we  must 
ever  be." 

One  morning  early  in  May  Mrs.  Fleet  was  very  weak, 
and  Dennis  left  her  with  painful  misgivings.  During  the 
morning  he  sent  Ernst  to  see  how  she  was,  and  he  soon  re 
turned,  with  wild  face,  crying,  "  Come  home  quick  !" 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  325 

Breaking  abruptly  from  his  startled  customer,  Dennis 
soon  reached  his  mother's  side.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bruder  were 
sobbing  at  the  foot  of  the  bed,  and  the  girls  were  pleading 
piteously  on  either  side, — "  O  mother  1  please  don't  go 
away  !" 

"  Hush  I"  said  Dennis,  solemnly.  Awed  by  his  manner, 
all  became  comparatively  sile,nt.  He  bent  over  the  bed, 
and  said,  "  Mother,  you  are  leaving  us." 

The  voice  of  her  beloved  son  rallied  the  dying  woman's 
wandering  mind.  After  a  moment  she  recognized  him, 
smiled  faintly,  and  whispered  :  "  Yes,  I  think  I  am — kiss 
me — good-by.  Bring— the  children.  Jesus — take  care— 
my  little— lambs.  Good-by — true— honest  friends— meet 
me — heaven.  Dennis— these  children — your  charge — bring 
them  home— to  me.  Pray  for  her.  I  don't  know — why — 
she  seems  very — near  to  me.  Farewell— my  good — true — 
son  —  mother's  blessing  — God's  blessing  —  ever  rest  —  on 
you." 

Her  eyes  closed,  and  she  fell  into  a  gentle  sleep. 

"  She  vake  no  more  in  dis  vorld,"  said  Mrs.  Bruder,  in 
an  awed  tone. 

Mr.  Bruder,  unable  to  control  his  feelings  any  longer, 
hurried  from  the  room.  His  wife,  with  streaming  eyes, 
silently  dressed  the  little  girls,  and  took  them  home  with 
her,  crying  piteously  all  the  way  for  mamma. 

Pale,  tearless,  motionless,  Dennis  sat,  hour  after  hour 
holding  his  mother's  hand.  He  noted  that  her  pulse  grew 
more  and  more  feeble.  At  last  the  sun  in  setting  broke 
through  the  clouds  that  had  obscured  it  all  day,  and  filled 
the  room  with  a  sudden  glory. 

To  Dennis's  great  surprise,  his  mother's  eyes  opened 
wide,  with  the  strange,  far-off  look  they  ever  had  when  she 
was  picturing  to  herself  the  unknown  world. 

Her  lips  moved.  He  bent  over  her  and  caught  the  words  : 
"  Hark  !  hear  I— It  never  was  so  sweet  before.  See  the 


326  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

angels — thronging  toward  me — they  never  came  so  near 
before." 

Then  a  smile  of  joy  and  welcome  lighted  up  her  wan  fea 
tures,  and  she  whispered,  "  O  Dennis,  husband,— are  we 
once  more  united  ?" 

Suddenly  there  was  a  Took  of  ecstasy  such  as  her  son  had 
never  seen  on  any  human  face,  and  she  cried  almost  aloud, 
"  Jesus— my  Saviour  !"  and  received,  as  it  were,  directly 
into  His  arms,  she  passed  from  earth. 

We  touch  briefly  on  the  scenes  that  followed.  Dennis 
took  the  body  of  his  mother  to  her  old  home,  and  buried  it 
under  the  wide-spreading  elrn  in  the  village  churchyard, 
where  as  a  happy  child  and  blooming,  maiden  she  had  often 
sat  between  the  services.  It  was  his  purpose  to  remove 
the  remains  of  his  f  ^her  and  place  them  by  her  side  as  soon 
as  he  could  afford  it. 

His  little  sisters  accompanied  him  east,  and  he  found  a 
home  for  them  with  a  sister  of  his  mother,  who  was  a  good, 
kind,  Christian  lady.  Dennis's  salary  was  not  large,  but 
sufficient  to  insure  that  his  sisters  would  be  no  burden  to 
his  aunt,  who  was  in  rather  straitened  circumstances.  He 
also  arranged  that  the  small  annuity  should  be  paid  for 
their  benefit. 

It  was  hard  parting  from  his  sisters,  whose  little  hearts 
seemed  breaking  at  what  appeared  to  them  to  be  a  new  be 
reavement. 

"  How  can  I  leave  them  I"  he  exclaimed,  with  tears  fall 
ing  fast  from  his  eyes. 

"They  are  children,"  said  his  aunt,  soothingly,  "and 
will  forget  their  troubles  in  a  few  days." 

And  so  it  proved  ;  but  Dennis,  with  a  sore  heart,  and 
feeling  very  lonely,  returned  to  Chicago. 

When  at  last  Christine  got  out  again,  she  learned  from 
Ernst  at  the  store  that  Dennis's  mother  had  died,  and  that 
he  had  taken  the  remains  and  his  sisters  east.  In  his  sor 
row  he  seemed  doubly  interesting  to  her. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  327 

"  How  I  wish  it  were  in  my  power  to  cheer  and  comfort 
him  !"  she  sighed,  "  and  yet  I  fear  my  ability  to  do  this  is 
less  than  that  of  any  one  else.  In  very  truth  he  seems  to 
despise  and  hate  me  now.  The  barriers  between  us  grow 
stronger  and  higher  every  day.  How  different  it  all  might 
have  been  if—  But  what  is  the  use  of  these  wretched 
'  if s  '  ?  What  is  the  use  of  resisting  this  blind,  remorseless 
fate  that  brings  happiness  to  one  and  crushes  another  ?" 

Wearily  and  despondingly  she  rode  back  to  the  elegant 
home  in  which  she  found  so  little  enjoyment. 

Whom  should  she  meet  there  but  Mrs.  Von  Brakhiem 
from  New  York  ?  bound  v/estward  with  a  gay  party  on  a 
trip  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  California.  They  had 
stopped  to  spend  a  few  days  in  Chicago,  and  were  deter 
mined  to  take  Christine  on  with  them.  Her  father 
strongly  seconded  the  plan.  Though  Christine  surmised 
his  motive,  she  did  not  care  to  resist.  Since  she  would 
soon  be  separated  from  Dennis  forever,  the  less  she  saw  of 
him  the  less  would  be  the  pain.  Moreover,  her  sore  and 
heavy  heart  welcomed  any  change  that  would  cause  for- 
getfulness  ;  and  so  it  was  speedily  arranged. 

Mrs.  Yon  Brakhiem  and  her  party  quite  took  possession 
of  the  Ludolph  mansion,  and  often  made  it  echo  with 
gayety. 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  that  Dennis  buried  his  mother, 
Ernst  went  over  at  Mr.  Ludolph 's  request  to  carry  a  mes 
sage.  He  found  the  house  the  scene  of  a  fashionable  revel. 
There  were  music  and  dancing  in  the  parlors,  and  from 
the  dining-room  the  clink  of  glasses  and  loud  peals  of 
laughter  proved  that  this  was  not  Christine's  ideal  of  an 
entertainment  as  she  had  portrayed  it  to  her  father  on  a 
former  occasion.  In  truth,  she  had  little  to  do  with  the 
affair  ;  it  was  quite  impromptu,  and  Mr.  Ludolph  and  Mrs. 
Von  Brakhiem  were  responsible  for  it. 

But  Ernst  could  not  know  this,  and  to  him  it  seemed 
shocking.  The  simple  funeral  service  taking  place  on  that 


328  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

day  in  the  distant  New-England  village  had  never  been 
absent  from  his  thoughts  a  moment.  Since  early  morning 
he  had  gone  about  with  his  little  face  composed  to  fune 
real  gravity. 

His  simple,  warm-hearted  parents  felt  that  they  could 
only  show  proper  respect  for  the  occasion  by  the  deepest 
gloom.  Their  rooms  were  arranged  in  stiff  and  formal 
manner,  with  crape  here  and  there.  All  unnecessary  work 
ceased,  and  the  children,  forbidden  to  play,  were  dressed 
in  mourning  as  far  as  possible,  and  made  to  sit  in  solemn 
and  dreadful  state  all  day.  It  would  not  have  surprised 
Ernst  if  the  whole  city  had  gone  into  mourning.  There 
fore  the  revelry  at  the  Ludolph  mansion  seemed  to  him 
heartless  and  awful  beyond  measure,  and  nearly  the  first 
thing  he  told  Dennis  on  the  latter's  return  was  that  they 
had  had  "  a  great  dancing  and  drinking  party,  the  night 
of  the  funeral,  at  Mr.  Ludolph 's."  Then,  trying  to  find 
some  explanation  for  what  seemed  to  him  such  a  strange 
and  wicked  thing,  he  suggested,  "  Perhaps  they  meant  it 
for  a  wake." 

Poor  little  Ernst's  ideas  of  the  world,  outside  of  his  home, 
had  been  gathered  from  a  very  low  neighborhood. 

He  also  handed  Dennis  a  letter  that  Mr.  Ludolph  request- 
ed  should  be  given  him  on  his  return.  It  read  as  fol 
lows  : — 

44  CHICAGO,  May  6th,  1871. 

"  I  have  been  compelled  to  supply  your  place  in  your  absence  :  there- 
fore  your  services  will  be  no  longer  needed  at  this  store.  Enclosed  you 
will  find  a  check  for  the  small  balance  still  due  you. 

"AUGUST  LUDOLPH." 

Dennis's  brow  grew  very  dark,  and  in  bitter  soliloquy 
he  said,  half  aloud,  as  he  strode  up  and  down  his  little 
room  in  great  agitation  :  "  And  so  it  all  ends  !  The  girl  at 
whose  side  my  mother  would  have  watched  in  the  most 
dangerous  and  loathsome  of  diseases  ;  the  woman  of  ice 
whom  I  sought  to  melt  and  render  human  by  as  warm,  true 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  329 

love  as  ever  man  lavished  on  one  who  rewarded  his  affec 
tion, — this  beautiful  monster  will  not  even  visit  my  mother 
when  dying  ;  she  holds  a  revel  on  the  day  of  the  funeral ; 
and  now,  through  her  influence  no  doubt,  I  am  robbed  of 
the  chance  of  winning  honest  bread.  She  cannot  even  en 
dure  the  sight  of  the  man  who  once  told  her  the  unvar 
nished  truth.  Poor  as  you  deem  me,  Christine  Ludolph, 
with  God's  help  not  many  years  shall  pass  before  it  will  be 
condescension  on  my  part  to  recognize  you." 

He  would  not  even  go  to  the  store  again.  The  Bruders, 
having  heard  what  had  occurred,  took  Ernst  away  also  ; 
but  Dennis  soon  found  him  a  better  situation  else 
where. 

The  day  on  which  Dennis  returned,  Christine  was  speed 
ing  in  a  palace-car  toward  the  Rocky  Mountains,  outward 
ly  gay,  determined  to  enjoy  herself  and  carry  out  her  reck, 
less  purpose  to  get  the  most  possible  out  of  life,  cost  what 
it  might. 

If  she  had  been  a  shallow  girl,  thoughtless  and  vain, 
with  only  mind  enough  to  take  in  the  events  of  the  passing 
moment,  she  might  have  bought  many  fleeting  pleasures 
with  her  abundant  wealth.  But  this  she  was  not,  with  all 
her  faults,  and  wherever  she  went,  in  the  midst  of  gayest 
scenes,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  grandest  and  most  inspir 
ing  scenery,  thought  and  memory,  like  two  spectres  that 
no  spell  could  lay,  haunted  her  and  robbed  her  of  peace 
and  any  approach  to  happiness.  Though  possessing  the 
means  of  gratifying  every  whim,  though  restrained  by  no 
scruples  from  doing  what  she  chose,  she  felt  that  all  around 
^rere  getting  more  from  life  than  she. 

During  her  absence  she  experienced  a  sudden  and  severe 
attack  of  illness.  Her  friends  were  much  alarmed  about 
her,  and  she  far  more  about  herself.  All  her  old  terror  re 
turned.  In  one  respect  she  was  like  her  mother  ;  she  had1 
no  physical  courage,  but  shrunk  with  inexpressible  dread 
.from  danger,  pain,  and  death.  Again  the  blackness  of 


330  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

darkness  gathered  round  her,  and  not  one  in  the  gay  pleas 
ure  party  could  say  a  word  to  comfort  her. 

She  recovered,  and  soon  regained  her  usual  health,  but 
her  self-confidence  was  more  thoroughly  shaken.  She  felt 
like  one  in  a  little  cockle-shell  boat  out  upon  a  shoreless 
ocean.  While  the  treacherous  sea  remained  calm,  all  might 
be  well,  but  she  knew  that  a  storm  would  soon  arise,  and 
that  she  must  go  down,  beyond  remedy.  Again  she  had 
been  taught  how  suddenly,  how  unexpectedly,  that  storm 
might  rise. 

Dennis  resolved  at  once  to  enter  on  the  career  of  an  artist. 
He  sold  to  Mr.  French,  at  a  moderate  price,  some  paintings 
and  sketches  he  had  made.  He  rented  a  small  room  that 
became  his  studio,  sleeping-apartment, — in  brief,  his  home, 
and  then  went  to  work  with  all  the  ordinary  incentives  to 
success  intensified  by  his  purpose  to  reach  a  social  height 
that  would  compel  Christine  to  look  upward  if  their  ac 
quaintance  was  renewed. 

Disappointment  in  love  is  one  of  the  severest  tests  of 
character  in  man  or  woman.  Some  sink  into  weak  senti 
mentality,  and  mope  and  languish  ;  some  become  listless, 
apathetic,  and  float  down  the  current  of  existence  like 
driftwood.  Men  are  often  harsh  and  cynical,  and  rail  at 
the  sex  to  which  their  mothers  and  sisters  belong.  Some 
times  a  man  inflicts  a  well-nigh  fatal  wound  and  leaves  his 
victim  to  cure  it  as  best  she  may.  From  that  time  forth 
she  may  be  like  the  wronged  Indian,  who  slays  as  many 
white  men  as  he  can.  Not  a  few,  on  finding  they  cannot 
enter  the  beautiful  paradise  of  happy  love,  plunge  into  im- 
bruting  vice  and  drown  not  only  their  disappointment  but 
themselves  in  dissipation.  Their  course  is  like  that  of  some 
who  deem  that  the  best  way  to  cure  a  wound  or  end  a  dis 
ease  is  to  kill  the  patient  as  soon  as  possible.  If  women 
have  true  metal  in  them  (and  they  usually  have)  they  be 
come  unselfishly  devoted  to  others,  and  by  gentle,  self- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWA),  331 

denying  ways  seek  to  impart  to  those  about  them  the  hap 
piness  denied  to  themselves. 

But  with  all  manly  young  men  the  instinct  of  Dennis  is 
perhaps  the  most  common.  They  will  rise,  shine,  and  daz 
zle  the.eyes  that  once  looked  scornfully  or  indifferently  at 
them. 

As  he  worked  patiently  at  his  noble  calling  this  smaller 
ambition  was  gradually  lost  in  the  nobler,  broader  one,  to 
be  a  true  artist  and  a  good  man. 

During  his  illness  some  gentlemen  of  large  wealth  and 
liberality,  who  wished  to  stimulate  and  develop  the  native, 
artistic  talent  of  their  city,  offered  a  prize  of  two  thousand 
dollars  for  the  finest  picture  painted  during  the  y^ar,  the 
artist  also  having  the  privilege  of  selling  his  work. 

On  his  return  after  his  illness  Dennis  heard  of  this,  and 
determined  to  be  one  of  the  competitors.  He  applied  to 
Mr.  Cornell,  who  had  the  matter  in  charge,  ^or  permission 
to  enter  the  lists,  which  that  gentleman  granted  rather 
doubtfully.  He  had  known  Dennis  onTy  as  a  critic,  not  as 
an  artist.1  But  having  gaioed  his  point,  Dennis  went  ear 
nestly  to  work  on  the  emblematic  painting  he  had  resolved 
upon,  and  with  what  success  the  following  chapters  will 
show. 

His  mother's  sickness  and  death,  of  course,  put  a  com 
plete  stop  to  his  artistic  \abors  for  a  time,  but  when  enter 
ing  on  his  new  career,  he  gave  himself  wholly  to  this  effort. 

The  time  for  exhibition  and  decision  was  fixed, — Satur 
day  morning,  October  7th,  1871. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

SUSIE   WINTHROP   APPEARS  AGAIN. 

OUR  story  passes  rapidly  over  the  scenes  and  events  of 
the  summer  and  fall  of  '71.    Another  heavy  blow  fell  upon 


332  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Dennis  in  the  loss  of  liis  old  friend  and  instructor,  Mr. 
Bruder. 

By  prayer  and  effort,  his  own  and  others,  he  was  saved 
morally  and  spiritually,  but  he  had  been  greatly  shattered 
by  past  excess.  He  was  attacked  by  typhoid  fever,  and 
after  a  few  days'  illness  died.  Recovery  from  this  disease 
depends  largely  upon  strength  and  purity  of  constitution. 
But  every  one  of  the  innumerable  glasses  of  liquor  that 
poor  Bruder  had  swallowed  had  helped  to  rob  him  of  these, 
and  so  there  was  no  power  to  resist. 

Under  her  husband's  improved  finances,  Mrs.  Bruder  had 
removed  to  comfortable  lodgings  in  Harrison  Street,  and 
these  she  determined  to  keep  if  possible,  dreading  for  the 
sake  of  her  children  the  influences  of  a  crowded  tenement 
house.  Dennis  stood  by  her,  a  staunch  and  helpful  friend  ; 
Ernst  was  earning  a  good  little  sum  weekly,  and  by  her 
needle  and  wash-tub  the  patient  woman  continued  the  hard 
battle  of  life  with  fair  prospects  of  success. 

Dennis's  studio  was  on  the  south  side,  at  the  top  of  a 
tall  building  overlooking  the  lake.  Even  before  the  early 
summer  sun  rose  above  the  shining  waves  he  was  at  his 
easel,  and  so  accomplished  what  is  a  fair  day's  work  before 
many  of  his  profession  had  left  their  beds.  Though  he 
worked  hard  and  long,  he  still  worked  judiciously.  Bent 
upon  accomplishing  what  was  almost  impossible  within 
the  limited  time  remaining,  he  determined  that,  with  all  his 
labor,  Dr.  Arten  should  never  charge  him  with  suicidal 
tendencies  again.  Therefore  he  trained  himself  mentally 
and  morally  for  his  struggle  as  the  athlete  trains  himself 
physically. 

He  believed  in  the  truth,  too  little  recognized  among 
brain-workers,  that  men  can  develop  themselves  into  splen 
did  mental  conditions,  wherein  they  can  accomplish  almost 
double  their  ordinary  amount  of  labor. 

The  year  allotted  to  the  competitors  for  the  prize  to  be 
given  in  October  was  all  too  short  for  such  a  work  as  he 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  333 

had  attempted,  and  through  his  own,  his  mother's,  and 
Mr.  Bruder's  illness,  he  had  lost  a  third  of  the  time,  but  in 
the  careful  and  skilful  manner  indicated  he  was  trying  to 
make  it  up.  He  had  a  long  conversation  with  shrewd  old 
t)r.  Arten,  who  began  to  take  a  decided  interest  in  him. 
He  also  read  several  books  on  hygiene.  Thus  be  worked 
under  the  guidance  of  reason,  science,  Christian  principle, 
instead  of  mere  impulse,  as  is  too  often  the  case  with 
genius. 

In  the  absorption  of  hie  task  he  withdrew  utterly  from 
society,  and,  with  the  exception  of  his  mission  class,  Chris 
tian  worship  on  the  Sabbath,  and  attendance  on  a  little 
prayer-meeting  in  a  neglected  quarter  during  the  week,  he 
permitted  no  other  demands  upon  his  time  and  thoughts. 

His  pictures  had  sold  for  sufficient  to  provide  for  his  sis 
ters  and  enable  him  to  live,  with  close  economy,  till  after 
the  prize  was  given,  and  then,  if  he  did  not  gain  it  (of 
which  he  was  not  at  all  sure),  his  painting  would  sell  for 
enough  to  meet  future  needs. 

And  so  we  leave  him  for  a  time  earnestly  at  work.  He 
was  like  a  ship  that  had  been  driven  hither  and  thither, 
tempest-tossed  and  in  danger.  At  last,  under  a  clear  sky 
and  in  smooth  water,  it  finds  its  true  bearings,  and  steadily 
pursues  its  homeward  voyage. 

The  Christine  whom  he  had  first  learned  to  love  in  happy 
unconsciousness,  while  they  arranged  the  store  together, 
became  a  glorified,  artistic  ideal.  The  Christine  whom  he 
had  learned  to  know  as  false  and  heartless  was  now  to  him 
a  strange,  fascinating,  unwomanly  creature,  beautiful  only 
as  the  sirens  were  beautiful,  that  he  might  wreck  himself 
body  and  soul  before  her  unpitying  eyes.  He  sought  to 
banish  all  thought  of  her. 

Christine  returned  about  midsummer.  She  was  com- 
pelled  to  note,  as  she  neared  her  native  city,  that  of  all  the 
ebjects  it  contained  Dennis  Fleet  was  uppermost  in  her 
thoughts.  She  longed  to  go  to  the  store  and  see  him  once 


334  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

more,  even  though  it  should  be  only  at  a  distance,  with  not 
even  the  shadow  of  recognition  between  them.  She  con 
demned  it  all  as  folly,  and  worse  than  vain,  but  that  made 
no  difference  to  her  heart,  which  would  have  its  way. 

Almost  trembling  with  excitement  she  entered  the  Art 
Building  the  next  day,  and  glanced  around  with  a  timidity 
tilat  was  in  marked  contrast  to  her  usual  cold  and  critical 
regard.  But,  as  the  reader  knows,  Dennis  Fleet  was  not 
tfo  be  seen.  From  time  to  time  she  went  again,  but  neither 
he  nor  Ernst  appeared.  She  feared  that  for  some  reason  he 
had  gone,  and  determined  to  learn  the  truth.  Throwing 
\off  the  strange  timidity  and  restraint  that  ever  embarrassed 
her  where  he  was  concerned,  she  said  to  Mr.  Schwaitz  one 
day  :  "  I  don't  like  the  way  that  picture  is  hung.  Where 
is  Mr.  Fleet  ?  I  believe  he  has  charge  of  that  department. " 

"  Why,  bless  you  !  Miss  Ludolph,"  replied  Mr.  Schwartz, 
with  a  look  of  surprise,  "Mr.  Ludolph  discharged  him 
over  two  months  ago." 

"  Discharged  him  !  what  for  ?" 

"  For  being  away  too  much,  I  heard,"  said  old  Schwartz, 
with  a  shrug  indicating  that  that  might  be  the  reason  and 
might  not. 

Christine  came  to  the  store  but  rarely  thereafter,  for  it 
had  lost  its  chief  element  of  interest.  That  evening  she 
said  to  her  father,  "  You  have  discharged  Mr.  Fleet  ?" 

"  Yes,"  was  the  brief  answer. 

"  May  I  ask  the  reason  ?" 

*'  He  was  away  too  much." 

"  That  is  not  the  real  reason,  "she  said,  turning  suddenly 
upon  him.  ' '  Father,  what  is  the  use  of  treating  me  as  a 
child  ?  What  is  the  use  of  trying  to  lock  things  up  and 
keep  them  from  me  ?  I  intend  to  go  to  Germany  with  you 
this  fall,  and  that  is  sufficient." 

With  a  courtly  smile  Mr.  Ludolph  replied,  "  And  I  have 
lived  long  enough,  my  daughter,  to  know  that  what  peo 
ple  intend  and  what  they  do  are  two  very  different  things." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  335 

She  flushed  angrily  and  said  :  "  It  was  most  unjust  to  dis 
charge  him  as  you  did.  Do  you  not  remember  that  he 
offered  his  mother's  services  as  nurse  when  I  was  dreading 
the  small-pox?" 

"  You  are  astonishingly  grateful  in  this  case,"  said  her 
father,  with  a  meaning  that  Christine  understood  too  well ; 
"  but,  if  you  will  read  the  records  of  the  Ludolph  race,  you 
will  find  that  its  representatives  have  often  been  compelled 
to  do  things  somewhat  arbitrarily.     Since  you  have  been  V 
gone,  I  have  received  letters  announcing  the  death  of  my   / 
brother  and  his  wife.     I  am  now  Baron  Ludolph  !" 

But  Christine  was  too  angry  and  too  deeply  wounded  to 
note  this  information,  which  at  one  time  would  have  elated 
her  beyond  measure.  She  coldly  said,  "It  is  a  pity  that 
noblemen  are  compelled  to  aught  but  noble  deeds  ;"  and, 
with  this  parting  arrow,  she  left  him. 

Even  her  father  winced,  and  then  with  a  heavy  frown 
said,  "  It  is  well  that  this  Yankee  youth  has  vanished  ;  still, 
the  utmost  vigilance  is  required." 

Again  he  saw  the  treacherous  maid  and  promised  in 
creased  reward  if  she  would  be  watchful,  and  inform  him 
of  every  movement  of  Christine. 

In  the  unobtrusive  ways  that  her  sensitive  pride  per 
mitted,  Christine  tried  to  find  out  what  had  become  of 
Dennis,  but  vainly.  She  offered  her  maid  a  large  reward 
if  she  would  discover  him,  but  she  had  been  promised  a 
larger  sum  not  to  find  him,  and  so  did  not.  The  impres 
sion  was  given  that  he  had  left  the  city,  and  Christine 
feared,  with  a  sickening  dread,  that  she  would  never  see 
him  again.  But  one  evening  Mr.  Cornell  stated  a  fact;  in  a 
casual  way  that  startled  both  Mr.  and  Miss  Ludolph. 

He  was  calling  at  their  house,  and  they  were  discussing 
the  coming  exhibition  of  the  pictures  which  would  com 
pete  for  the  prize. 

"  By  the  way,  your  former  clerk  and  porter  is  among 
the  competitors  ;  at  least  he  entered  the  lists  last  spring,  but 


336  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

I  have  lost  sight  of  him  since.  I  imagine  he  has  given  it 
up,  and  betaken  himself  to  tasks  more  within  the  range  of 
his  ability." 

The  eyes  of  father  and  daughter  met,  but  she  turned  to 
Mr.  Cornell,  and  said,  coolly,  though  with  a  face  some 
what  flushed,  "  And  has  Chicago  so  much  artistic  talent 
that  a  real  genius  has  no  chance  here  ?" 

' '  I  was  not  aware  that  Mr.  Fleet  was  a  genius, ' '  an 
swered  Mr.  Cornell. 

"  I  think  that  he  will  satisfy  you  on  that  point,  and  that 
you  will  hear  from  him  before  the  exhibition  takes  place." 

Mr.  Ludolph  hastily  changed  the  subject,  but  he  had 
forebodings  as  to  the  future. 

Christine  went  to  her  room,  and  thought  for  a  long  time  ; 
suddenly  she  arose,  exclaiming,  "  He  told  me  his  story 
once  on  canvas  ;  I  will  now  tell  him  mine." 

She  at  once  stretched  the  canvas  on  a  frame  for  a  small 
picture,  and  placed  it  on  an  easel,  that  she  might  commence 
with  dawn  of  day. 

During  the  following  weeks  she  worked  scarcely  less  ear 
nestly  and  patiently  than  Dennis.  The  door  was  locked 
when  she  painted,  and  before  she  left  the  studio  the  pic 
ture  was  hidden. 

She  meant  to  send  it  anonymously,  so  that  not  even  her 
father  should  know  its  authorship.  She  hoped  that  Dennis 
would  recognize  it. 

When  she  was  in  the  street  her  eyes  began  to  have  an 
eager,  wistful  look,  as  if  she  was  seeking  some  one.  She 
often  went  to  galleries,  and  other  resorts  of  artists,  but  in 
vain,  for  she  never  meet  him,  though  at  times  the  distance 
between  them  was  less  than  between  E^angeline  and  her 
lover,  when  she  heard  the  dip  of  his  oar  in  her  dream. 
Though  she  knew  that  if  she  met  him  she  would  probably 
give  not  one  encouraging  glance,  yet  the  instinct  of  her 
heart  was  just  as  strong. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  337 

Mr.  Ludolph  told  the  maid  that  she  must  find  out  what 
Christine  was  painting,  and  she  tried  to  that  degree  that 
she  wakened  suspicion. 

On  one  occasion  Christine  turned  suddenly  on  her,  and 
said  :  "  "What  do  you  mean  ?  If  I  find  you  false— if  I  have 
even  good  reason  to  suspect  you — I  will  tarn  you  into  the 
street,  though  it  be  at  midnight  !" 

And  the  maid  learned,  as  did  Mr.  Ludolph,  that  she  was 
not  dealing  with  a  child. 

During  Monday,  October  3d,  Dennis  was  employed  all 
the  long  day  in  giving  the  finishing  touches  to  his  picture. 
It  was  not  worked  up  as  finely  as  he  could  have  wished  ; 
time  did  not  permit  this.  But  he  had  brought  out  his 
thought  vividly,  and  his  drawings  were  full  of  power.  On 
the  following  Saturday  the  prize  would  be  given. 

In  the  evening  he  walked  out  for  air  and  exercise.  As 
he  was  passing  one  of  the  large  hotels,  he  heard  his  name 
called.  Turning,  he  saw  on  the  steps,  radiant  with  wel 
come,  his  old  friend,  Susie  Winthrop.  Her  hand  was  on 
the  arm  of  a  tall  gentleman,  who  seemed  to  have  eyes  for 
her  only.  But  in  her  old  impulsive  way  she  ran  down  the 
steps,  and  gave  Dennis  a  grasp  of  the  hand  that  did  his 
lonely  heart  good.  Then,  leading  him  to  the  scholarly- 
looking  gentleman,  who  was  gazing  through  his  glasses  in 
mild  surprise,  she  said  :  "  Professor  Leonard,  my  husband, 
Mr.  Fleet.  This  is  the  Dennis  Fleet  I  have  told  you  about 
so  often." 

"  Oh— h,"  said  the  professor,  in  prolonged  accents,  while 
a  genial  light  shone  through  his  gold  spectacles.  "  Mr. 
Fleet,  we  are  old  acquaintances,  though  we  have  never  met 
before.  If  I  were  a  jealous  man,  you  are  the  only  one  I 
should  fear." 

"  And  we  mean  to  make  you  wofully  jealous  to-night, 
for  I  intend  to  have  Mr.  Fleet  dine  with  us  and  spend  the 
evening.  ]STo,  I  will  take  no  excuse,  no  denial.  This  in 
fatuated  man  will  do  whatever  I  bid  him,  and  he  is  a  sort 


338  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

of  Greek  athlete.  If  you  do  not  come  right  along  I  shall 
command  him  to  lay  violent  hands  on  you  and  drag  you 
ignominiously  in. "  * 

Dennis  was  only  too  glad  to  accept,  but  merely  wished 
to  make  a  better  toilet. 

"  I  have  just  come  from  my  studio,"  he  said. 

"  And  you  wish  to  go  and  divest  yourself  of  all  artistic 
flavor  and  become  commonplace.  Do  you  imagine  I  will 
permit  it  ?  No  !  so  march  in  as  my  captive.  Who  ever 
heard  of  disputing  the  will  of  a  bride  ?  This  man"  (point 
ing  up  to  the  tall  professor)  "  never  dreams  of  it." 

Dennis  learned  that  she  was  on  her  wedding  trip,  and 
saw  that  she  was  happily  married,  and  proud  of  her  pro 
fessor,  as  he  of  her. 

With  feminine  tact  she  drew  his  story  from  him,  and 
yet  it  was  but  a  meagre,  partial  story,  like  the  play  of  Ham 
let  with  Hamlet  left  out,  for  he  tried  to  be  wholly  silent  on 
his  love  and  disappointment.  But  in  no  respect  did  he  de 
ceive  Mrs.  Leonard.  Her  husband  went  away  for  a  little 
time.  In  his  absence  she  asked,  abruptly,  "  Have  you  seen 
Miss  Ludolph  lately  ?" 

"  No  !"  said  Dennis,  with  a  telltale  flush.  Seeing  her 
look  of  sympathy,  and  knowing  her  to  be  such  a  true 
friend,  the  impulsive  young  man  gave  his  confidence 
almost  before  he  knew  it.  She  was  just  the  one  to  inspire 
trust,  and  he  was  very  lonely,  having  had  no  one  to  whom 
he  could  speak  his  deeper  feelings  since  his  mother  died. 

"  Miss  Ludolph  wronged  me  in  a  way  that  a  man  finds  it 
nard  to  forget  or  forgive,"  he  said,  in  a  low,  bitter  tone  ; 
"  but  I  should  have  tried  to  do  both  had  she  not  treated  my 
mother  most  inhumanly  ;"  and  he  told  his  story  over  again 
with  Hamlet  in. 

Mrs.  Leonard  listened  with  breathless  interest,  and  then 
said  :  "  She  is  a  strange  girl,  and  that  plan  of  making  you 
her  unconscious  model  is  just  like  her,  though  it  was  both 
cruel  and  wicked.  And  yet,  Mr.  Fleet,  with  shame  for  my 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  339 

sex  I  admit  it,  how  many  would  have  flirted  with  you  to 
the  same  degree  from  mere  vanity  and  love  of  excitement ! 
I  have  seen  Miss  Ludolph,  and  I  cannot  understand  her. 
We  are  no  longer  the  friends  we  once  were,  but  I  cannot 
think  her  utterly  heartless.  She  is  bent  upon  becoming  a 
great  artist  at  any  cost,  and  I  sometimes  think  she  would 
sacrifice  herself  as  readily  as  any  one  else  for  this  purpose. 
She  looks  to  me  as  if  she  had  suffered,  and  she  has  lost 
much  of  her  old  haughty,  cold  manner,  save  when  some 
thing  calls  it  out.  Even  in  the  drawing-room  she  was  ab 
stracted,  as  if  her  thoughts  were  far  away.  You  are  a  man 
of  honor,  and  it  is  due  that  you  should  know  the  following 
facts.  Indeed  I  do  not  think  that  they  are  a  secret  any  longer, 
and  at  any  rate  they  will  soon  be  known.  If  Mr.  Ludolph 
were  in  Germany  he  would  be  a  noble.  It  is  his  intention 
to  go  there  this  fall,  and  take  his  wealth  and  Christine  with 
him,  and  assert  his  ancestral  titles  and  position.  Christine 
could  not  marry  in  this  land  without  incurring  her  father's 
curse,  and  I  think  she  has  no  disposition  to  do  that,— her 
ambition  is  fully  in  accord  with  his." 

"  Yes,"  said  Dennis,  bitterly,  "  and  where  other  women 
have  hearts,  she  has  ambition  only." 

The  professor  returned  and  the  subject  was  dropped. 

Dennis  said,  on  taking  his  leave:  "  I  did  not  expect  to 
show  any  one  my  picture  till  it  was  placed  on  exhibition 
with  the  others,  but,  if  you  care  to  see  it,  you  may  to-mor 
row.  Perhaps  you  can  make  some  suggestions  that  will 
help  me." 

They  eagerly  accepted  the  invitation,  and  came  the  fol 
lowing  morning.  Dennis  watched  them  with  much  solici 
tude.  When  once  they  understood  his  thought,  their  de 
light  and  admiration  knew  no  bounds.  The  professor 
turned  and  stared  at  him  as  if  he  were  an  entirely  different 
person  from  the  unpretending  youth  who  had  been  intro* 
duced  on  the  preceding  evening. 


340  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  If  you  do  not  get  the  prize,"  he  said,  sententiously, 
"  you  have  a  great  deal  of  artistic  talent  in  Chicago." 
"  '  A  Daniel  come  to  judgment ! '  "  cried  his  wife. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

SUGGESTIVE  PICTURES   AND    A  PRIZE. 

AT  last  the  day  of  the  exhibition  dawned.  Dennis  had 
sent  his  picture,  directed  to  Mr.  Cornell,  with  his  own  name 
in  an  envelope  nailed  to  its  back.  No  one  was  to  know 
who  the  artists  were  till  after  the  decision  was  given. 
Christine  had  sent  hers  also,  but  no  name  whatever  was  in 
the  envelope  attached  to  it. 

At  an  early  hour,  the  doors  were  thrown  open  for  all 
who  chose  to  come.  The  committee  of  critics  had  ample 
time  given  them  for  their  decision,  and  at  one  o'clock  this 
was  to  be  announced. 

Although  Dennis  went  rather  early,  he  found  that  Chris 
tine  was  there  before  him.  She  stood  with  Professor  and 
Mrs.  Leonard,  Mr.  Cornell,  and  her  father,  before  his  pic 
ture.  He  could  only  see  her  side  face,  and  she  was  glanc 
ing  from  the  printed  explanation  in  the  catalogue  to  the^ 
painting.  Mrs.  Leonard  was  also  at  her  side,  seeing  to  it 
that  no  point  was  unnoted.  Christine's  manner  betrayed 
intense  interest  and  excitement,  and  with  cause,  for  again 
Dennis  had  spoken  to  her  deepest  soul  in  the  language  she 
best  loved  and  understood, 

As  before  she 'saw  two  emblematic  pictures  within  one 
frame  merely  separated  by  a  plain  band  of  gold. 

The  first  presented  a  chateau  of  almost  palatial  propor 
tions,  heavy,  ornate,  but  stiff  and  quite  devoid  of  beauty. 
It  appeared  to  be  the  abode  of  wealth  and  ancestral  great 
ness. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  341 

Everything  about  the  place  indicated  lavish  expenditure. 
The  walks  and  trees  were  straight  and  formal,  the  flowers 
that  bloomed  here  and  there,  large  and  gaudy.  A  parrot 
hung  in  a  gilded  cage  against  a  column  of  the  piazza.  No 
wild  songsters  fluttered  in  the  trees,  or  were  on  the  wing. 
Hills  shut  the  place  in  and  gave  it  a  narrow,  restricted  ap 
pearance,  and  the  sky  overhead  was  hard  and  brazen.  On 
the  lawn  stood  a  graceful  mountain  ash,  and  beneath  it 
were  two  figures.  The  first  was  that  of  a  man.  and  evi 
dently  the  master  of  the  place.  His  appearance  and  man 
ner  chiefly  indicated  pride,  haughtiness,  and  also  sensual 
ity.  He  had  broken  a  spray  from  the  ash-tree,  and  with  a 
condescending  air  was  in  the  act  of  handing  it  to  a  lady, 
in  the  portraiture  of  whom  Dennis  had  truly  displayed 
great  skill.  She  was  very  beautiful,  and  yet  there  was 
nothing  good  or  noble  in  her  face.  Her  proud  features 
showed  mingled  shame  and  reluctance  to  receive  the  gift 
in  the  manner  it  was  bestowed,  and  yet  she  was  receiving 
it.  The  significance  of  the  mountain  ash  is  ' '  Grandeur. ' ' 
The  whole  scene  was  the  portrayal,  in  the  beautiful  language 
of  art,  of  a  worldly,  ambitious  marriage,  where  the  man 
seeks  mere  beauty,  and  the  woman  wealth  and  position, 
love  having  no  existence. 

It  possessed  an  eloquence  that  Christine  could  not  resist, 
and  she  fairly  loathed  the  alliance  she  knew  her  lather 
would  expect  her  to  make  after  their  arrival  in  Germany, 
though  once  she  had  looked  forward  to  it  with  eagerness  as 
the  stepping-stone  to  her  highest  ambition. 

The  second  picture  was  a  beautiful  contrast.  Instead  of 
the  brazen  glare  of  the  first,  the  air  was  full  of  glimmering 
lights  and  shades,  and  the  sky  of  a  deep  transparent  blue. 
Far  up  a  mountain  side,  on  an  overhanging  cliff,  grew, 
the  same  graceful  ash-tree,  but  its  branches  were  entwined 
with  vines  of  the  passion-flower  that  hung  around  in  slen 
der  streamers.  On  a  jutting  rock,  with  precarious  footing, 
stood  a  young  man  reaching  up  to  grasp  a  branch,  his 


342  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

glance  bold  and  hopeful,  and  his  whole  manner  full  of  dar 
ing  and  power.  He  had  evidently  had  a  haid  climb  to 
reach  his  present  position  ;  his  hat  was  gone  ;  his  dress  was 
light  and  simple  and  adapted  to  the  severest  effort. 

But  the  £hief  figure  in  this  picture  also  was  that  of  a  young 
girl  who  stood  near,  her  right  hand  clasping  his  left,  and 
steadying  and  sustaining  him  in  his  perilous  footing.  The 
wind  was  in  her  golden  hair,  and  swept  to  one  side  her 
light,  airy  costume.  Her  pure,  noble  face  was  lifted  up 
toward  Mm,  rather  than  toward  the  spray  he  sought  to 
grasp,  and  an  eager,  happy  light  shone  from  her  eyes. 
She  had  evidently  climbed  with  him  to  their  present  van 
tage-point,  and  now  her  little  hand  secured  and  strength 
ened  him  as  he  sought  to  grasp,  for  her,  success  and  pros 
perity  joined  with  unselfish  love.  The  graceful  wind-flow 
ers  tossed  their  delicate  blossoms  around  their  feet,  and 
above  them  an  eagle  wheeled  in  its  majestic  flight. 

Below  and  opposite  them  on  a  breezy  hillside  stood  a 
modern  villa,  as  tasteful  in  its  architecture  as  the  former 
had  been  stiff  and  heavy.  A  fountain  played  upon  the 
lawn,  and  behind  it  a  cascade  broke  into  silver  spray  and 
mist.  High  above  this  beautiful  earthly  home,  in  the  clear, 
pure  air  rose  a  palace-like  structure  in  shadowy,  golden 
outline,  indicating  that  afterN  the  dwelling-place  of  time 
came  the  grander,  the  perfect  mansion  above. 

Christine  looked  till  her  eyes  were  blinded  with  tears,  and 
then  dropped  her  veil.  In  the  features  of  the  lady  in  each 
case  she  had  not  failed  to  trace  a  faint  likeness,  sufficient  to 
make  it  clear  to  herself.  She  said  in  a  low,  plaintive  tone, 
with  quivering  lips,  "Mr.  Fleet  painted  that  picture." 

"Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Leonard,  looking  at  her  with  no  little 
wonder  and  perplexity. 

By  a  great  effort  Christine  recovered  herself  and  said, 
"  You  know  how  deeply  fine  paintings  alway  affect  me." 

Dennis  of  course  knew  nothing  of  Christine's  feelings. 
He  could  only  see  that  his  picture  had  produced  a  profound 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  343 

effect  on  her,  and  that  she  had  eyes  for  nothing  else.  But 
he  overheard  Mr.  Cornell  say,  "  It  is  indeed  a  remarkable 
painting. ' ' 

"  Do  you  know  its  author  ?"  asked  Mr.  Ludolph,  with  a 
heavy  frown. 

"  No,  I  do  not.     It  is  still. a  mystery." 

"  Will  it  take, the  prize,  do  you  think  ?" 

"  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  give  an  opinion  as  yet/'  replied 
Mr.  Cornell,  with  a  smile.  "  There  is  another  picture  here, 
almost  if  not  quite  as  fine,  though  much  smaller  and  sim 
pler  ;"  and  he  took  Mr.  Ludolph  off  to  show  him  that. 

Dennis  was  now  recognized  by  Mrs.  Leonard  and  her 
husband,  who  came  forward  and  greeted  him  cordially, 
and  they  started  on  a  tour  of  the  gallery  together.  Though 
his  heart  beat  fast,  he  completely  ignored  Christine's  pres 
ence,  -and  responded  coldly  to  Mr.  Ludolph's  slight  *ow. 

Christine,  on  being  aware  of  his  presence,  furtively  de 
voured  him  with  her  eyes.  The  refining  influences  of  his 
life  were  evident  in  his  face  and  bearing,  and  she  realized 
her  ideal  of  what  a  man  ought  to  be.  Eagerly  she  watched 
till  he  should  discover  her  painting  where  it  hung  opposite 
his  own,  and  at  last  she  was  amply  rewarded  for  all  her 
toil.  He  stopped  suddenly  and  stood  as  if  spellbound. 

The  picture  was  very  simple,  and  few  accessories  entered 
into  it.  Upon  a  barren  rock  of  an  island  stood  a  woman 
gazing  far  out  at  sea,  where  in  the  distance  a  ship  was  sail 
ing  away.  Though  every  part  had  been  worked  up  with 
exquisite  finish,  the  whole  force  and  power  of  the  painting 
lay  in  the  expression  of  the  woman's  face,  which  was  an 
indescribable  mingling  of  longing  and  despair.  Here  also 
Christine  had  traced  a  faint  resemblance  to  herself,  though 
the  woman  was  middle-aged  and  haggard,  with  famine  in 
her  cheeks. 

As  Dennis  looked  and  wondered,  the  thought  flashed  into 
his  mind,  "  Could  she  have  painted  that  ?"  He  turned  sud 
denly  toward  her  and  was  convinced  that  she  had  done  so  ; 


34:4  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

for  she  was  looking  at  him  with  something  of  the  same  ex 
pression,  or  at  least  he  fancied  so.  She  blushed  deeply  and 
turned  hastily  away.  He  was  greatly  agitated,  but  in  view 
of  the  eyes  that  were  upon  him  controlled  himself  and  re 
mained  outwardly  calm. 

Mr.  Ludolph  also  was  convinced  that  his  daughter  had 
painted  the  picture,  and  he  frowned  more  heavily  than  be 
fore.  He  turned  a  dark  look  on  her,  and  found  her  regard 
ing  Dennis  in  a  manner  that  caused  him  to  grind  his  teeth 
with  rage.  But  he  could  only  sit  down  and  watch  the 
course  of  events. 

The  people  were  now  thronging  in.  The  gentlemen  who 
made  up  the  prize,  with  their  committee  of  award,  of 
which  Mr.  Cornell  was  chairman,  were  also  present.  Most 
critically  they  examined  each  picture  till  at  last  their 
choice  narrowed  down  to  the  two  paintings  above  described. 
But  it  soon  became  evident  that  their  choice  would  fall 
upon  the  larger  one,  and  Dennis  saw  that  he  was  to  be  the 
victor.  To  his  surprise  Christine  seemed  utterly  indiffer 
ent  as  to  the  result  of  their  decision.  He  could  not  know 
that  the  prize  had  no  place  in  her  thoughts  when  she  paint 
ed  her  picture.  She  had  found  her  reward  in  its  effect  on 
him. 

At  one  o'clock  Mr.  Cornell  came  forward  and  said  : 
'  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  especially  do  I  address  that 
group  of  liberal  citizens  who  are  so  generously  seeking  to 
encourage  art  in  our  great  and  prosperous  city,  it  gives  me 
pleasure  to  inform  you  that  your  munificence  has  brought 
forth  rich  fruit,  for  here  are  many  paintings  that  would  do 
credit  to  any  gallery.  We  hesitated  a  little  time  between 
two  very  superior  pictures,  but  at  last  we  have  decided 
that  the  larger  one  is  worthy  of  the  prize.  The  smaller 
picture  is  one  of  great  merit ;  its  treatment  is  unusually 
fine,  though  the  subjj^lsja&kJSejv. 

"  The  two  emblematic  picures  in  some  parts  show  crude 
and  hasty  work  ;  indeed,  some  minor  parts  are  quite  unfin- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  345 

ished.  The  artist  evidently  has  not  had  sufficient  time. 
But  the  leading  features  are  well  wrought  out,  and  the 
power  and  originality  of  the  entire  effort  so  impress  us 
that,  as  I  have  said,  we  render  our  decision  in  its  favor. 
That  all  may  know  our  verdict  to  be  fair,  we  state  on  our 
honor  that  we  do  not  know  by  whom  a  single  painting 
present  was  executed.  Dr.  Af  ten,  as  the  largest  contributor 
toward  the  prize,  you  are  appointed  to  bestow  it.  On  the 
back  of  the  picture  you  will  find  an  envelope  containing 
the  name  of  the  artist,  whom  we  all  shall  delight  to  honor." 
Amid  breathless  expectation,  Dr.  Arten  stepped  forward, 
took  down  the  envelope,  and  read  in  a  loud,  trumpet-like 
voice, — 

"  DENNIS  FLEET.  " 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

FIKE  !     FIRE  I 

"WiLL  Dennis  Fleet  come  forward?"  cried  Dr.  Arten. 
Very  pale,  and  trembling  with  excitement,  Dennis  stepped 
out  before  them  all. 

"  Take  heart,  my  young  friend  ;  I  am  not  about  to  read 
your  death-warrant,"  said  the  doctor,  cheerily.  "Permit 
me  to  present  you  with  this  check  for  two  thousand  dol 
lars,  and  express  to  you  what  is  of  more  value  to  the  true 
artist,  our  esteem  and  appreciation  of  your  merit.  May 
your  brush  ever  continue  to  be  employed  in  the  presenta 
tion  of  such  noble,  elevating  thoughts." 

And  the  good  doctor,  quite  overcome  by  this  unusual 
flight  of  eloquence,  blew  his  nose  vigorously  and  wiped 
from  his  spectacles  the  moisture  with  which  his  own  eyes 
had  bedewed  them. 

Dennis  responded  with  a  low  bow,  and  was  about  to 


346  BARRIERS  BURNED   AWAY. 

retire  ;  but  his  few  friends,  and  indeed  all  who  knew  himv 
pressed  forward  with  their  congratulations. 

Foremost  among  these  were  the  professor  and  his  wife. 
Tears  of  delight  fairly  shone  in  Mrs.  Leonard's  eyes  as  she 
shook  his  hand  again  and  again.  Many  others  also  trooped 
up  for  an  introduction,  till  he  was  quite  bewildered  by 
strange  names,  and  compliments  that  seemed  stranger  still. 

Suddenly  a  low,  well-known  voice  at  his  side  sent  a  thrill 
to  his  heart  and  a  rush  of  crimson  to  his  face. 

"  Will  Mr.  Fleet  deign  to  receive  my  congratulations 
also?" 

He  turned  and  met  the  deep  blue  eyes  of  Christine  Lu- 
dolph  lifted  timidly  to  his.  But  at  once  the  association 
that  had  long  been  uppermost  in  regard  to  her — the  memory 
of  her  supposed  treatment  of  his  mother— flashed  across 
him,  and  he  replied,  with  cold  and  almost  stately  courtesy, 
"  The  least  praise  or  notice  from  Miss  Ludolph  would  be  a 
most  unexpected  favor." 

She  thought  from  his  manner  that  he  might  as  well  have 
said  "  unwelcome  favor,"  and  with  a  sad,  disappointed 
look  she  turned  away. 

Even  in  the  excitement  and  triumph  of  the  moment, 
Dennis  was  oppressed  by  the  thought  that  he  had  not 
spoken  as  wisely  as  he  might.  Almost  abruptly  he  broke 
away  and  escaped  to  the  solitude  of  his  own  room. 

He  did  not  think  about  his  success.  The  prize  lay  for 
gotten  in  his  pocketbook.  He  sat  in  his  arm-chair  and 
stared  apparently  at  vacancy,  but  in  reality  at  the  picture 
that  he  was  sure  Christine  had  painted.  He  went  over  and 
over  again  with  the  nicest  scrutiny  all  her  actions  in  the 
gallery,  and  now  reproached  himself  bitterly  for  the  re 
pelling  answer  he  had  given  when  she  spoke  to  him.  He 
tried  to  regain  his  old  anger  and  hardness  in  view  of  her 
wrongs  to  him  and  his,  but  could  not.  The  telltale  pic 
ture,  and  traces  of  sorrow  and  suffering  in  her  face  in 
accord  with  it,  had  disarmed  him.  He  said  to  himself, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  347 

and  half  believed,  that  he  was  letting  his  imagination  run 
away  with  his  reason,  but  could  not  help  it  At  last  he 
seized  his  hat  and  hastened  to  the  hotel  where  Mrs.  Leonard 
was  staying.  She  at  once  launched  out  into  a  eulogistic 
strain  descriptive  of  her  enjoyment  of  the  affair. 

''I  never  was  so  proud  of  Chicago,"  she  exclaimed. 
"  It  is  the  greatest  city  in  the  world.  Only  the  other  day 
her  streets  were  prairies.  I  believe  my  husband  expected 
to  find  buffalo  and  Indians  just  outside  the  town.  But 
see  !  already,  by  its  liberality  and  attention  to  art,  it  begins 
to  vie  with  some  of  our  oldest  cities.  But  what  is  the 
matter  ?  You  look  so  worried. " 

"  Oh,  nothing,"  said  Dennis,  coming  out  of  his  troubled, 
abstracted  manner. 

With  her  quick  intuition,  Mrs.  Leonard  at  once  divined 
his  thoughts,  and  said  soon  after,  when  her  husband's  back 
was  turned  :  "  All  I  can  say  is,  that  she  was  deeply,  most 
deeply  affected  by  your  picture,  but  she  said  nothing  to 
me,  more  than  to  express  her  admiration.  My  friend,  you 
had  better  forget  her.  They  sail  for  Europe  very  soon  ; 
and,  besides,  she  is  not  worthy  of  you." 

"  I  only  wish  I  could  forget  her,  and  am  angry  with 
myself  that  I  cannot,"  he  replied,  and  soon  after  said 
"  good  -night. " 

Wandering  aimlessly  through  the  streets,  he  almost  un- 
consciously  made  his  way  to  the  north  side,  where  the 
Ludolph  mansion  was  situated.  Then  a  strong  impulse  to 
go  to  it  came  over  him,  and  for  the  first  time  since  the  far- 
off  day  when,  stunned  and  wounded  by  his  bitter  disap 
pointment,  he  had  gone  away  apparently  to  die,  he  found 
himself  at  the  familiar  place.  The  gas  was  burning  in  Mr. 
Ludolph 's  library.  He  went  around  on  the  side  street  (for 
the  house  was  on  a  corner),  and  a  light  shone  from  what 
he  knew  to  be  Christine's  studio.  She  undoubtedly  was 
there.  Even  such  proximity  excited  him  strangely,  and 
in  his  morbid  state  he  felt  that  he  could  almost  kiss  the 


348  /;  I  HltlERS  BURNED  A  WA  r. 

foeble  rays  that  shimmered  out  into  the  darkem -d  street 
In    his   secret    soul    he    utterly   condemned   his   folly,    but 
promised  himself  that   he  would  be  weak  no  longer  after 
that  one  night.     The  excitements  of  the  day  had  thrown 
him  off  his  balance. 

Suddenly  he  heard,  sweet  ami  clear,  though  softened  bv 
distance  and  intervening  obstacles,  tin-  same  weird,  patl,e':c 
ballad  that  had  so  moved  him  \vhen  (  liristine  sun- 
Le'Jrand  Hotel,  on  the  evening  after  lie  had  i>ointeii  m,t 
the  fatal  defect  in  her  picture.  At  short  intervals,  kindred 
and  plaintive  songs  followed. 

"There  is  nothing  exultant  or  hopeful  about  those 
strains,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  For  some  reason  she  is  not 
happy.  Oh  that  I  might  have  one  frank  conversation 
with  her  and  tind  out  the  whole  truth  !  But  it  seems  that. 
I  might  just,  as  well  ask  for  a  near  look  al  yonder  star  that 
glimmers  so  distantly.  For  some  reason  1  c:mnot  believe 
her  so  utterly  heartless  as  she  has  seemed  ;  and  then  mot  her 
has  prayed.  Can  it  all  end  as  a  miserable  dream  Y" 

I. ate  at,  night  the  music  ceased,  and  the  room  WHS  dark 
ened. 

Little  dreamed  Christine  that  her  plaintive  minstrelsy 
itad  fallen  on  so  sympathetic  an  ear,  and  that,  the  man  \\  ho 
seemingly  had  repelled  her  slightest  acquaintance  hail 
shivered  long  hours  in  the  cold,  dark  street. 

So  the    Divine   Friend   ^aits  and  watches,  while   we,  in 
ignorance   and   unbelief,    pay   no   heed.     Stranger  far.    He 
I   :ind    \\alches   when    \\  e   know,    but    \et,  unrelenting, 
ignore  1  lis  presence. 

With   heavv   steps,    Dennis  wearily  plodded  homeward 
He  was  oppressed  1 1\  that  deep  despondency  which  follows 
:  fat  i-.' ue  and  excitement. 

In  the  southwest  he  saw  a   brilliant  light.      He  heard  the 

I  alarm  bells,  and  knew  there  was  a  tire,  but  to  have  aroused 

him  that  night  it  must  ha \  ••  come  scorchingly  close.     He 


BARRIERS  in  F, 

aed  his  dark  lilth-  room,  threw    himself  dressed  on  the 
couch,  and  slfpt  till  nearlv    noon  of  the  next  dav  . 

NY  hen  hi1  awoke,  ami  realt/.ed  how  tin-  tirst  hours  of  the 
Sahbath  had  passed,  lu-  started  up  much  Aexed  with  him 
self,  and  aftrr  a  brief  ret  i  ospect  sa'ul  :  "  Such  excitements 
as  t!i  (erda\  WC  linle  belter  than  a  debauch,  and 

1  must  shun  them  hereafter.-  (Jod  lias  Messed  and  suc 
ceeded  me,  a 'id  it  is  hut  a  poor  return  1  am  making.  1  lo\\  - 
r\(i-  m\  uiifortunate  altaehment  may  end,  nothii. 

>d    !>\    moping   around    in    the  hours  of   niiiht.      IKnee- 
forth  let  there  be  an  end  of  sueh  fullx 

He  made  a  eareful  toilet  and  sat  down  to  hi-,  Suhlulli- 
sehool  lesson. 

To  hi-- deli:  ht    b«  again    met    Mrs.   Leonard,   \\hoeameto 
visit  liei- old  mission   elass.      She  smiled    most  approvi:: 
and    quoted,   "  '  lie  thai    is  faithful  in  that    \vltieh  is  least  is 
faithful  also  in  mueh.'  ' 

lie  \\,'iit  home  with  her,  and  in  the  e\enin.'  tin  \  aM 
went  to  ehlireh  together. 

1  le  eiied  unto  (  he  Lord  for  s|  i-<-nut  h  and  help,  and  almost 
lost  i-on-.eiou-ness  of  the  servierin  his  laniesi  praxerfor 
true  manhood  ami  OOUFftge  to  gQ  lor\\ard  !••  \\  hat  he  feared 
would  he  a  sad  and  lonely  life.  And  the  answer  came  , 
|  BOOM  of  pouer  and  readiness  to<L>  <  iod  's  \\  ill,  and 
withal  ,i  itmOge  hopefulness,  inspired  him.  'I'rustin 
the  l>l\ine  itTOOgth,  he  tVll  that  h<-  could  meet  his  future 
no\\-  \\  hate\ cr  it  mi:'ht  he. 

A  'aiii  the  alarm  hells  were  ri n !.',' i n ;j; ,  and  tlu'i'i 
in  the  southwest.. 

"  'There  seems    to  he  a    fire  over   there    in  t  he  direction  of 

my     |)oor    (i<rnwn    friend's    house.       You    i-emeinher    Mrs. 

15rud(  r.      I  w  ill  L-;O  and  rail  on  them,   I  think.      At  anv    rate 

1  should  eall,  for  it  U  .  •  >\  Ing   to  her  hushaiid  thai   I  won  the 

"   and  they  parted  at  the  ehureh  d 

Christine  had  left  the  picture  i-allerv  soon  after  hennis'd 
uhrupt  departure.  Her  ;M\  friends  had  tried  in  vain  to 


350  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

rally  her,  and  rather  wondered  at  her  manner,  hut  said, 
"  She  is  so  full  of  moods  of  late,  you  can  never  know  what 
to  expect." 

Her  father,  with  a  few  indifferent  words,  left  her  for  his 
place  of  business.  His  hope  still  was  to  prevent  her  meet 
ing  Dennis,  and  to  keep  up  the  estrangement  that  existed. 

Christine  went  home  and  spent  the  long  hours  in  bitter 
re  very,  which  at  last  she  summed  up  by  saying,  "  I 
have  stamped  out  his  love  by  my  folly,  and  now  his  words, 
'  I  despise  you,'  express  the  whole  wretched  truth."  Then 
clenching  her  little  hands  she  added,  with  livid  lips  and  a 
look  of  scorn  :  "  Since  I  can  never  help  him  (and  therefore 
no  one)  win  earthly  greatness,  I  will  never  be  the  humble 
recipient  of  it  from  another.  Since  his  second  picture  can 
not  be  true  of  my  experience,  neither  shall  the  first." 

And  she  was  one  to  keep  such  a  resolve.  The  evening 
was  spent,  as  we  know,  in  singing  alone  in  her  studio,  this 
being  her  favorite,  indeed  her  only  way,  of  giving  expres 
sion  to  her  feelings.  Very  late  she  sought  her  bed  to  find 
but  little  sleep. 

The  day  of  rest  brought  no  rest  to  her,  suggested  no 
hope,  no  sacred  privilege  of  seeking  Divine  help  to  bear 
up  under  life's  burdens.  To  her  it  was  a  relic  of  super 
stition,  at  which  she  chafed  as  interfering  with  the  usual 
routine  of  affairs.  She  awoke  with  a  headache,  and  a  long 
miserable  day  she  found  it.  Sabbath  night  she  determined 
to  have  sleep,  and  therefore  took  an  opiate  and  retired 
.early. 

Mr.  Ludolph  sat  in  his  library  trying  to  construct  some 
plan  by  which  Christine  could  be  sent  to  Germany  at  once. 

When  Dennis  reached  the  neighborhood  of  the  fire  he 
found  it  much  larger  than  he  supposed,  and  when  he  en 
tered  Harrison  Street,  near  Mrs.  Bruder's  home,  he  dis 
covered  that  only  prompt  action  could  save  the  family. 
The  streets  were  fast  becoming  choked  with  fugitives  and 
teams,  and  the  confusion  threatened  to  develop  into  panic 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  351 

and  widespread  danger.  The  fire  was  but  a  block  away 
when  he  rushed  upstairs  to  the  floor  which  the  Bruders 
occupied.  From  the  way  in  which  blazing  brands  were 
flying  he  knew  that  there  was  not  a  moment  to  spare. 

He  found  Mrs.  Bruder  startled,  anxious,  but  in  no  way 
comprehending  the  situation. 

"  Quick  !"  cried  Dennis.  ,  "  Wake  and  dress  the  chil 
dren, — pack  up  what  you  can  lay  your  hands  on  and  carry, 
— you  have  no  time  to  do  anything  more." 

"  Ah  !  mine  Gott  !  vat  you  mean  ?" 

"  Do  as  I  say,— there's  no  time  to  explain.  Here,  Ernst, 
help  me  ;"  and  Dennis  snatched  up  one  child  and  com 
menced  dressing  it  before  it  could  fairly  wake.  Ernst  took 
up  another  and  followed  his  example.  Mrs.  Bruder,  re 
covering  from  her  bewilderment,  hastily  gathered  a  few 
things  together,  saying  in  the  mean  time,  "  Surely  you 
don't  dink  our  home  burn  up  ?" 

"  Yes,  my  poor  friend,  in  five  minutes  more  we  must  all 
be  out  of  this  building." 

"  Oh,  den  come  dis  minute  !  Let  me  save  de  sohilder  ;" 
and,  throwing  a  blanket  around  the  youngest,  the  fright 
ened  woman  rushed  downstairs,  followed  by  Ernst  and  his 
little  brother,  while  Dennis  hastened  with  the  last  child 
and  the  bundle. 

Their  escape  was  none  too  prompt,  for  the  blazing  em 
bers  were  falling  to  such  a  degree  in  the  direct  line  of  the 
fire  as  to  render  their  position  very  perilous.  But  though 
their  progress  was  necessarily  slow,  from  the  condition  of 
the  streets,  the  breadth  of  the  fire  was  not  great  at  this 
spot,  and  they  soon  reached  a  point  to  the  west  and  wind 
ward  that  was  safe.  Putting  the  family  in  charge  of 
Ernst,  and  telling  them  to  continue  westward,  Dennis 
rushed  back,  feeling  that  many  lives  might  depend  upon 
stout  hands  and  brave  hearts  that  night.  Moreover  he 
was  in  that  state  of  mind  which  made  him  court  rather 
than  shun  danger. 


352  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

He  had  hardly  left  his  humble  friends  before  Mrs.  Bruder 
stopped,  put  her  hand  on  her  heart  and  cried  :  "  O  Ernst  ! 
O  Gott  forgive  me  !  dot  I  should  forget  him — your  fader's 
picture.  I  must  go  back." 

"  O  moder,  no  !  you  are  more  to  us  than  the  picture." 
The  woman's  eyes  were  wild  and  excited,  and  she  cried, 
vehemently:  "  Dot  picture  saved  mine  Berthold  life— yes, 
more,  more,  him  brought  back  his  artist  soul.  Vithout 
him  ve  vould  all  be  vorse  dan  dead.  I  can  no  live  vithout 
him.  Stay  here  ;"  and  with  the  speed  of  the  wind  the 
devoted  wife  rushed  back  to  the  burning  street,  up  the 
stairs,  already  crackling  and  blazing,  to  where  the  lovely 
landscape  smiled  peacefully  in  the  dreadful  glare,  with  its 
last  rich  glow  of  beauty.  She  tore  it  from  its  fastenings, 
pressed  her  lips  fervently  against  it,  regained  the  street, 
but  with  dress  on  fire.  She  staggered  forward  a  few  steps 
in  the  hot  stifling  air  and  smoke,  and  then  fell  upon  her 
burden.  Spreading  her  arms  over  it,  to  protect  it  even  in 
death,  the  mother's  heart  went  out  in  agony  toward  her 
children. 

(  "  Ah  merciful  Gott  !  take  care  of  dem,"  she  sighed,  and 
the  prater 'and  th^^pirit  that  breathed  it  went  up  to  heaven 
together. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

BARON  LUDOLPn  LEARNS  THE  TRUTH. 

WITH  eyes  ablaze  with  excitement,  Dennis  plunged  into 
the  region  just  before  the  main  line  of  fire,  knowing  that 
there  the  danger  would  be  greatest.  None  realized  the 
rapidity  of  its  advance.  At  the  door  of  a  tenement  house 
he  found  a  pale,  thin,  half-clad  woman  tugging  at  a  sew 
ing-machine 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  353 

"Madam,"  cried  Dennis,  "you  have  no  time  to  waste 
over  that  burden  if  you  wish  to  escape." 

"  What  is  the  use  of  escaping  without  it  ?"  she  answered, 
sullenly.  "  It  is  the  only  way  I  have  of  making  a  living." 

"  Give  it  to  me  then,  and  follow  as  fast  as  you  can.** 
Shouldering  what  meant  to  the  poor  creature  shelter,  cloth 
ing,  and  bread,  he  led  the  way  to  the  southeast,  out  of  the 
line  of  fire.  It  "was  a  long,  hard  struggle,  but  they  got 
through  safely. 

"  How  can  I  ever  pay  you  ?"  cried  the  grateful  woman. 

But  he  did  not  stay  to  answer,  and  now  determined  to 
make  his  way  to  the  west  and  windward  of  the  fire,  as  he 
could  then  judge  better  of  the  chances  of  its  spreading. 
He  thought  it  safer  to  go  around  and  back  of  the  flames, 
as  they  now  seemed  much  wider,  and  nearer  the  south 
branch  of  the  Chicago  River. 

He  found  that  he  could  cross  the  burnt  district  a  little  10 
the  southwest,  for  the  small  wooden  houses  were  swept  so 
utterly  away  that  there  were  no  heated,  blazing  ruins  to 
contend  with.  He  also  saw  that  he  could  do  better  by 
making  quite  a  wide  circuit,  as  he  thus  avoided  streets 
choked  by  fugitives.  Reaching  a  point  near  the  river  on 
the  west  side  of  the  fire,  he  climbed  a  high  pile  of  lumber, 
and  then  discovered  to  his  horror  that  the  fire  had  caught 
in  several  places  on  the  south  side,  and  that  the  nearest 
bridges  were  burning. 

To  those  not  familiar  with  the  topography  of  the  city, 
it  should  be  stated  that  it  is  separated  by  the  Chicago 
River,  a  slow,  narrow  stream,  into  three  main  divisions, 
known  as  the  south,  the  north,  and  the  west  side. 

By  a  triumph  of  engineering,  the  former  mouth  of  this 
river  at  the  lake  is  now  its  source,  the  main  stream  being 
turned  back  upon  itself,  and  dividing  into  two  branches  at 
a  point  a  little  over  half  a  mile  from  the  lake,  one  flowing 
to  the  southwest  into  the  Illinois,  and  the  other  from  the 
northwest  into  the  main  stream. 


354  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

The  south  division  includes  all  the  territory  bounded  on 
the  east  by  the  lake,  on  the  north  by  the  main  river  and 
on  the  west  by  the  south  branch.  The  north  division  in 
cludes  the  area  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  lake,  on  the 
south  by  the  main  river,  and  on  the  west  by  the  north 
branch,  while  the  west  division  embraces  all  that  part  of 
the  city  west  of  the  two  branches.  The  fire  originated  in 
De  Koven  Street,  the  southeastern  part  of  the  west  side, 
and  it  was  carried  steadily  to  the  north  and  east  by  an 
increasing  gale.  The  south  side,  with  all  its  magnificent 
buildings,  was  soon  directly  in  the  line  of  the  fire. 

When  Dennis  saw  that  the  flames  had  crossed  the  south 
branch,  and  were  burning  furiously  beyond,  he  knew  that 
the  best  part  of  the  city  was  threatened  with  destruction. 
He  hastened  to  the  Washington  Street  tunnel,  where  he 
found  a  vast  throng,  carrying  all  sorts  of  burdens,  rushing 
either  way.  He  plunged  in  with  the  rest,  and  soon  found 
himself  hustled  hither  and  thither  by  a  surging  mass  of 
humanity.  A  little  piping  voice  that  seemed  under  his 
feet  cried  :  *'  O  mamma  I  mamma  !  Where  are  you  ? 
I'm  gettin'  lost." 

"  Here  I  am,  my  child,'*  answered  a  voice  some  steps  in 
advance,  and  Dennis  saw  a  lady  carrying  another  child  ; 
but  the  rushing  tide  would  not  let  her  wait, — all,  in  the 
place  where  they  were  wedged,  being  carried  right  along. 
Stooping  down,  he  put  the  little  girl  on  his  shoulder  where 
she  could  see  her  mother,  and  so  they  pressed  on.  Sud 
denly,  in  the  very  midst  of  the  tunnel,  the  gas  ceased,  by 
reason  of  the  destruction  of  the  works,  and  utter  darkness 
filled  the  place. 

There  was  a  loud  cry  of  consternation,  and  then  a 
momentary  and  dreadful  silence,  which  would  have  been 
the  preface  of  a  fatal  panic,  had  not  Dennis  cried  out,  in  a 
ringing  voice,  "  All  keep  to  the  right !" 

This  cry  was  taken  up  and  repeated  on  every  hand,  and 
side  by  side,  to  right  and  left,  the  two  living  streams  of 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  355 

humanity,  with  steady  tramp  !  tramp  !  rushed  past  each 
other. 

When  they  emerged  into  the  glare  of  the  south  side  Den 
nis  gave  the  child  to  its  mother  and  said,  "  Madam,  your 
only  chance  is  to  escape  in  that  direction,"  pointing  north 
west. 

He  then  tried  to  make  his  way  to  the  hotel  where  Pro 
fessor  and  Mrs.  Leonard  were  staying,  but  it  was  in  the 
midst  of  an  unapproachable  sea  of  fire.  If  they  had  not 
escaped  some  little  time  before,  they  had  already  perished. 
He  then  tried  to  make  his  way  to  the  windward  toward 
his  own  room.  His  two  thousand  dollars  and  all  his  pos- 
sesssions  were  there,  and  the  instinct  of  self-preservation 
caused  him  to  think  it  was  time  to  look  after  his  own. 
But  progress  was  now  very  difficult  The  streets  were 
choked  by  drays,  carriages,  furniture,  trunks,  and  every 
degree  and  condition  of  humanity.  Besides,  his  steps  were 
often  stayed  by  thrilling  scenes  and  the  need  of  a  helping 
hand.  In  order  to  make  his  way  faster  he  took  a  street 
nearer  the  fire,  from  which  the  people  had  mostly  been 
driven.  As  he  was  hurrying  along  with  his  hat  drawn 
over  his  eyes  to  avoid  the  sparks  that  were  driven  about 
like  fiery  hail,  he  suddenly  heard  a  piercing  shriek.  Look 
ing  up  he  saw  the  figure  of  a  woman  at  the  third  story 
window  of  a  fine  mansion  that  was  already  burning,  though 
not  so  rapidly  as  those  in  the  direct  line  of  the  fire.  He 
with  a  number  of  others  stopped  at  the  sound. 

"  Who  will  volunteer  with  me  to  save  that  woman  ?"' 
cried  he. 

"  Wai,  stranger,  you  can  reckon  on  this  old  stager  for 
one,"  answered  a  familiar  voice. 

Dennis  turned  and  recognized  his  old  friend,  the  Good 
Samaritan. 

"  Why,  Cronk,"  he  cried,  "  don't  you  know  me  ?  Don't 
you  remember  the  young  man  you  saved  from  starving  bj 
suggesting  the  snow-shovel  business  ?" 


856  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  Hollo  !  my  young  colt.  How  are  you  ?  give  us  yer 
hand.  But  come,  don't  let's  stop  to  talk  about  snow  in 
this  hell  of  a  place  with  that  young  filly  whinnying  up 
there." 

"  Right  I"  cried  Dennis.  "  Let  us  find  a  ladder  and 
rope  ;  quick— ' 

At  a  paint-shop  around  the  corner  a  ladder  was  found 
that  reached  to  the  second  story,  and  some  one  procured  a 
rope. 

"A  thousand  dollars,"  cried  another  familiar  voice, 
"  to  the  man  who  saves  that  woman  !" 

Looking  round,  Dennis  saw  the  burly  form  of  Mr. 
Brown,  the  brewer,  his  features  distorted  by  agony  and 
fear  ;  then  glancing  up  he  discovered  in  the  red  glare  upon 
her  face  that  the  woman  was  no  other  than  his  daughter. 
She  had  come  to  spend  the  night  with  a  friend,  and,  being 
a  sound  sleeper,  had  not  escaped  with  the  family. 

"  Who  wants  yer  thousand  dollars  ?"  replied  Bill 
Cronk's  gruff  voice.  "  D'ye  s'pose  we'd  hang  out  here 
over  the  bottomless  pit  for  any  such  trifle  as  that?  We 
want  to  save  the  gal." 

Before  Cronk  had  ended  his  characteristic  speech,  Dennis 
was  half-way  up  the  ladder.  He  entered  the  second  story, 
only  to  be  driven  back  by  fire  and  smoke. 

"  A  pole  of  some  kind  !"  he  cried. 

The  thills  of  a  broken-down  buggy  supplied  this,  but 
the  flames  had  already  reached  Miss  Brown.  Being  a  girl 
of  a  good  deal  of  nerve  and  physical  courage,  however, 
she  tore  off  her  outer  clothing  with  her  own  hands.  Dennis 
now  passed  her  the  rope  on  the  end  of  the  buggy-thill  and 
sold  her  to  fasten  it  to  something  in  the  room  that  would 
support  her  weight,  and  lower  herself  to  the  second  story. 
bne  fastened  it,  but  did  not  seem  to  know  how  to  lower 
herself.  Dennis  tried  the  rope,  found  it  would  sustain  his 
weight  ;  then,  bringing  into,  use  an  art  learned  in  his  col 
lege  gymnasium,  he  over-handed  rapidly  till  he  stood  at 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  357 

» 

Miss  Brown's  side.  Drawing  up  the  rope  he  fastened  her 
to  it  and  lowered  her  to  the  ladder,  where  Bill  Cronk 
caught  her,  and  in  a  moment  more  she  was  in  her  father's 
arms,  who  at  once  shielded  her  from  exposure  with  his 
overcoat.  Dennis  followed  the  rope  down,  and  had  hardly 
got  away  before  the  building  fell  in. 

"  Is  not  this  Mr,  Fleet  ?"  asked  Miss  Brown. 

"Yes." 

"  How  can  we  ever  repay  you  ?" 

"  By  learning  to  respect  honest  men,  even  though  they 
are  not  rich,  Miss  Brown." 

"  Did  you  know  who  it  was  when  you  saved  me  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  Mr.  Fleet,  I  sincerely  ask  your  pardon." 

But  before  Dennis  could  reply  they  were  compelled  to 
fly  for  their  lives. 

Mr.  Brown  shouted  as  he  ran,  "  Call  at  the  house  or 
place  of  business  of  Thomas  Brown,  and  the  money  will 
be  ready." 

But  Thomas  Brown  would  have  found  it  hard  work  to 
rake  a  thousand  dollars  out  of  the  ashes  of  either  place  the 
following  day.  The  riches  in  which  he  trusted  had  taken 
wings. 

Cronk  and  Dennis  kept  together  for  a  short  distance, 
and  the  latter  saw  that  his  friend  had  been  drinking. 
Their  steps  led  them  near  a  large  liquor-store  which  a  party 
of  men  and  boys  were  sacking.  One  of  these,  half  intoxi 
cated,  handed  Bill  a  bottle  of  whiskey,  but  as  the  drover 
was  lifting  it  to  his  lips  Dennis  struck  it  to  the  ground. 
Cronk  was  in  a  rage  instantly. 

"  What  the did  you  do  that  for  ?"  he  growled. 

"  I  would  do  that  and  more  too  to  save  your  life.  If  you 
get  drunk  to-night  you  are  a  lost  man,"  answered  Dennis, 
earnestly. 

"  Who's  a-goin'  ter  get  drunk,  I'd  like  ter  know  ?  You 
feel  yer  oats  too  much  to-night.  No  man  or  horse  can  kick 


358  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

• 

over  the  traces  with  me  ;"  and  he  went  off  in  the  unrea 
soning  anger  of  a  half-drunken  man.  But  he  carried  all 
his  generous  impulses  with  him,  for  a  few  minutes  after, 
seeing  a  man  lying  in  a  most  dangerous  position,  he  ran 
up  and  shook  him,  crying,  "  I  say,  stranger,  get  up,  or 
yer  ribs  will  soon  be  roasted." 

"  Lemme  'lone,"  was  the  maudlin  answer.  "  I've  had 
drink 'nuff.  'Tain 't  mornin'  yet. " 

"  Hi,  there  !"  cried  a  warning  voice,  and  Cronk  started 
back  just  in  time  to  escape  a  blazing  wall  that  fell  across 
the  street.  The  stupefied  man  he  had  sought  to  arouse 
was  hopelessly  buried.  Cronk,  having  got  out  of  danger, 
stood  and  scratched  his  head,  his  favorite  way  of  assisting 
reflection. 

"  That's  just  what  that  young  critter  Fleet  meant. 
What  a  cussed  ole  mule  I  was  to  kick  up  so  !  Ten  chances 
to  one  but  it  will  happen  to  me  afore  mornin'.  Look  here, 
Bill  Cronk,  you  jist  p'int  out  of  this  fiery  furnace.  You 
know  yer  failin',  and  there's  too  long  and  black  a  score 
agin  you  in  t'other  world  for  you  to  go  to-night ;"  and 
Bill  made  a  bee  line  for  the  west  side. 

Struggling  off  to  windward  through  the  choked  streets 
for  a  little  distance,  Dennis  ascended  the  side  stairs  of  a  tall 
building,  in  order  to  get  more  accurately  the  bearings  of 
the  fire.  He  now  for  the  first  time  realized  its  magnitude, 
and  was  appalled.  It  appeared  as  if  the  whole  south  side 
must  go.  At  certain  points  the  very  heavens  seemed  on 
fire.  The  sparks  filled  the  air  like  flakes  of  fiery  snow, 
and  great  blazing  fragments  of  roofs,  and  boards  from 
lumber-yards,  sailed  over  his  head,  with  the  ill-omened 
glare  of  meteors.  The  rush  and  roar  of  the  wind  and 
flames  were  like  the  thunder  of  Niagara,  and  to  this  awful 
monotone  accompaniment  was  added  a  Babel  of  sounds, — 
shrieks,  and  shouts  of  human  voices,  the  sharp  crash  of 
falling  buildings,  and  ever  and  anon  heavy  detonations,  as 
the  fire  reached  explosive  material.  As  he  looked  down 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  359 

into  the  white  upturned  faces  in  the  thronged  streets,  it 
seemed  to  him  as  if  the  people  might  be  gathering  for  the 
last  great  day.  Above  all  the  uproar,  the  court-house  bell 
could  be  heard,  with  its  heavy,  solemn  clangor,  no  longer 
ringing  alarm,  but  the  city's  knell. 

But  he  saw  that  if  he  reached  his  own  little  room  in 
time  to  save  anything  he  must'  hasten.  His  course  lay 
near  the  Art  Building,  the  place  so  thronged  with  associa 
tions  to  him.  An  irresistible  impulse  drew  him  to  it.  It 
was  evident  that  it  must  soon  go,  for  an  immense  building 
to  the  southwest,  on  the  same  block,  was  burning,  and  the 
walls  were  already  swaying. 

Suddenly  a  man  rushed  past  him,  and  Mr.  Ludolph  put 
his  pass  key  in  the  side  door. 

"  Mr.  Ludolph,  it  is  not  safe  to  enter,"  said  Dennis. 

"  What  are  you  doing  here  with  your  ill-omened  face  ?" 
retorted  his  old  employer,  turning  toward  him  a  countenance 
terrible  in  its  expression.  As  we  have  seen,  anything  that 
threatened  Mr.  Ludolph 's  interests,  even  that  which  most 
men  bow  before,  as  sickness  and  disaster,  only  awakened 
his  anger  ;  and  his  face  was  black  with  passion  and  dis 
torted  with  rage. 

The  door  yielded,  and  he  passed  in. 

"Come  back,  quick,  Mr.  Ludolph,  or  you  are  lost!" 
cried  Dennis  at  the  door. 

"  I  will  get  certain  papers,  though  the  heavens  fall  !" 
yelled  back  the  infuriated  man,  with  an  oath. 

Dennis  heard  an  awful  rushing  sound  in  the  air.  He 
drew  his  hat  over  his  face  as  he  ran,  crouching.  Hot 
bricks  rained  around  him,  but  fortunately  he  escaped. 

When  he  turned  to  look,  the  Art  Building  was  a  crushed 
and  blazing  ruin.  Sweet  girlish  faces  that  had  smiled 
upon  him  from  the  walls,  beautiful  classical  faces  that  had 
inspired  his  artist  soul,  stern  Roman  faces,  that  had  made 
the  past  seem  real,  the  human  faces  of  gods  and  goddesses 
that  made  mythology  seem  not  wholly  a  myth,  and  the 


360  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

white  marble  faces  of  the  statuary,  that  ever  reminded  him 
of  Christine,  were  now  all  blackened  and  defaced  forever. 
But  not  of  these  he  thought,  as  he  shudderingly  covered 
his  eyes  with  his  hands  to  shut  out  the  vision  ;  but  of  that 
terrible  face  that  in  the  darkness  had  yelled  defiance  to 
heaven. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 
"CHRISTINE,  AWAKE  !  FOR  YOUR  LIFE  1" 

DENNIS  was  too  much  stunned  and  bewildered  to  do 
more  than  instinctively  work  his  way  to  the  windward  as 
the  only  point  of  safety,  but  the  fire  was  now  becoming  so 
broad  in  its  sweep  that  to  do  this  was  difficult.  The  awful 
event  he  had  witnessed  seemed  partially  to  paralyze  him  ; 
for  he  knew  that  the  oath,  hot  as  the  scorching  flames,  was 
scarcely  uttered  before  Mr.  Ludolph's  lips  were  closed  for 
ever.  He  and  his  ambitious  dream  perished  in  a  moment, 
and  he  was  summoned  to  the  other  world  to  learn  what  his 
proud  reason  scoffed  at  in  this. 

For  a  block  or  more  Dennis  was  passively  borne  along  by 
the  rushing  mob.  Suddenly  a  voice  seemed  to  shout  almost 
in  his  ear,  "  The  north  side  is  burning  !"  and  he  started  as 
from  a  dream.  The  thought  of  Christine  flashed  upon  him, 
perishing  perhaps  in  the  flames.  He  remembered  that  now 
she  had  no  protector,  and  that  he  for  the  moment  had  for 
gotten  her  ;  though  in  truth  he  had  never  imagined  that 
she  could  be  imperilled  by  the  burning  of  the  north  side. 

In  an  agony  of  fear  and  anxiety  he  put  forth  every  effort 
of  which  he  was  capable,  and  tore  through  the  crowd  as  if 
mad.  There  was  no  way  of  getting  across  the  river  now 
save  by  the  La  Salle  Street  tunnel.  Into  this  dark  passage 
he  plunged  with  multitudes  of  others.  It  was  indeed  as 
near  Pandemonium  as  any  earthly  condition  could  be. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  361 

Driven  forward  by  the  swiftly  pursuing  flames,  hemmed 
in  on  every  side,  a  shrieking,  frenzied,  terror-stricken 
throng  rushed  into  the  black  cavern.  Every  moral  grade 
was  represented  there.  Those  who  led  abandoned  lives 
were  plainly  recognizable,  their  guilty  consciences  finding 
expression  in  their  livid  faces.  These  jostled  the  refined 
and  delicate  lady,  who,  in  the  awful  democracy  of  the 
hour,  brushed  against  thief  and  harlot.  Little  children 
wailed  for  their  lost  parents,  and  many  were  trampled 
underfoot.  Parents  cried  for  their  children,  women  shrieked 
for  their  husbands,  some  praying,  many  cursing  with  oaths 
as  hot  as  the  flames  that  crackled  near.  Multitudes  were 
in  no  other  costumes  than  those  in  which  they  had  sprung 
from  their  beds.  Altogether  it  was  a  strange,  incongruous, 
writhing  mass  of  humanity,  such  as  the  world  had  never 
looked  upon,  pouring  into  what  might  seem,  in  its  horrors, 
the  mouth  of  heJL- 

As  Dennis  entered  the  utter  darkness,  a  confused  roar 
smote  his  ear  that  might  have  appalled  the  stoutest  heart, 
but  he  was  now  oblivious  to  everything  save  Christine's 
danger.  With  set  teeth  he  put  his  shoulder  against  the 
living  mass  and  pushed  with  the  strongest  till  he  emerged 
into  the  glare  of  the  north  side.  Here,  escaping  somewhat 
from  the  throng,  he  made  his  way  rapidly  to  the  Ludolph 
mansion,  which  to  his  joy  he  found  was  still  considerably 
to  the  windward  of  the  fire.  But  he  saw  that  from  the 
southwest  another  line  of  flame  was  bearing  down  upon  it. 

The  front  door  was  locked,  and  the  house  utterly 
dark.  He  rang  the  bell  furiously,  but  there  was  no  re 
sponse.  He  walked  around  under  the  window  and  shout 
ed,  but  the  place  remained  as  dark  and  silent  as  a  tomb. 
He  pounded  on  the  door,  but  its  massive  thickness  scarcely 
admitted  of  a  reverberation. 

"They  must  have  escaped,"  he  said;  "but,  merciful 
heaven  !  there  must  be  no  uncertainty  in  this  case.  What 
shall  I  do?" 


362  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

The  windows  of  the  lower  story  were  all  strongly  guard 
ed  and  hopeless,  but  one  opening  on  the  balcony  of  Chris 
tine's  studio  seemed  practicable  if  it  could  be  reached.  A 
half-grown  elm  swayed  its  graceful  branches  over  the  bal 
cony,  and  Dennis  knew  the  tough  and  fibrous  nature  of 
this  t-ree.  In  the  New-England  woods  of  his  early  home 
he  had  learned  to  climb  for  nuts  like  a  squirrel,  and  so 
with  no  great  difficulty  he  mounted  the  trunk  and  dropped 
from  an  overhanging  branch  to  the  point  he,  sought.  The 
window  was  down  at  the  top,  but  the  lower  sash  was  fast 
ened.  He  could  see  the  catch  by  the  light  of  the  fire.  He 
broke  the  pane  of  glass  nearest  it,  hoping  that  the  crash 
might  awaken  Christine,  if  she  were  still  there.  But  after 
the  clatter  died  away  there  was  no  sound.  He  then  nois.Hy 
raised  the  sash  and  stepped  in. 

What  a  rush  of  memories  came  over  him  as  he  looked 
uround  the  familiar  place  !  There  was  the  spot  on  which  he 
had  stood  and  asked  for  the  love  that  he  had  valued  more 
than  life.  There  stood  the  easel  on  which,  through  Chris 
tine's  gifted  touch,  his  painted  face  had  pleaded  with  scarce 
ly  less  eloquence,  till  he  blotted  it  out  with  his  own  hand. 
In  memory  of  it  all  his  heart  again,  failed  him,  and  he 
sighed,  "  She  will  never-love  me." 

But  there  was  no  time  for  sentiment.  He  called  loudly  : 
*'  Miss  Ludolph,  awa^J_aj^ake_JLfor_v^our  life  !" 

There  was  no  ^answer.  "She  must  be  gone, "  he  said. 
The  front  room,  facing  toward  the  west,  he  knew  to  be 
her  sleeping- apartment.  Going  through  the  passage,  he 
knocked  loudly,  and  called  again  ;  but  in  the  silence  that 
followed  he  heard  his  own  watch  tick,  and  his  heart  beat. 
He  pushed  the  door  open  with  the  feeling  of  one  profaning 
a  shrine,  and  looked  timidly  in.  Even  in  that  thrilling 
hour  of  peril  and  anxiety,  his  eye  was  enraptured  by  th< 
beauty  of  the  room.  Not  only  was  it  furnished  with  thtf 
utmost  luxuriance,  but  everything  spoke  of  a  quaint  and 
cultured  taste,  from  the  curious  marble  clock  and  bronze 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  363 

on  the  mantel,  even  to  the  pattern  of  the  Turkey  carpet  on 
which  the  glare  of  the  fire,  as  it  glinted  through  the  shut- 
ters,  played  faintly.  One  of  the  most  marked  features, 
however,  was  an  exquisite  life-size  statue  of  DianjLat  the 
foot  of  the  bed,  grasping  her  bow  with  one  hand,  and  in 
the  act  of  seizing  an  arrow  with  the  other,  as  if  aroused  to 
self-defence.  When  Dennis  first  saw  it,  he  was  so  startled 
by  its  lifelike  attitude  that  he  stepped  back  into  the  pas 
sage.  But,  AUwth  all  the  beauty  of  the  room,  it  was  utterly 
pagan  ;  not  a  single  thing  suggested  Christian  faith  or  a 
knowledge  of  the  true  God.  With  the  exception  of  its 
modern  air,  it  might  just  as  well  have  been  the  re.ting- 
place  of  a  Greek  or  Roman  maiden  of  rank. 

Reassured,  he  timidly  advanced  again,  and  then  for  the 
first  time,  between  the  two  marble  statuettes  holding  back 
the  curtains  of  the  bed,  saw  Christine,  but  looking  more 
white  and  deathlike  than  the  marble  itself. 

She  lay  with  her  face  toward  him.  Her  hair  of  gold,  un- 
confined,  streamed  over  the  pillow  ;  one  fair  round  arm, 
from  which  her  night-robe  had  slipped  back,  was  clasped 
around  her  head,  and  a  flickering  ray  of  light,  finding  ac 
cess  at  the  window,  played  upon  her  face  and  neck  with 
the  strangest  and  most  weird  effect. 

So  deep  was  her  slumber  that  she  seemed  dead,  and  Den 
nis,  in  his  overwrought  state,  thought  that  she  was.  For 
a  moment  his  heart  stood  still,  and  his  tongue  was  par 
alyzed.  A  distant  explosion  aroused  him.  Approaching 
softly  he  said,  in  an  awed  whisper  (he  seemed  powerless  to 
speak  louder),  "Miss  Ludolph  '—Christine  !" 

But  the  light  of  the  coming  fire  played  and  flickered  over 
the  still,  white  face,  that  never  before  had  seemed  so- 
strangely  beautiful. 

"Miss  Ludolph! — 0  Christine,  awake!"  cried  Dennis, 
louder. 

To  his  wonder  and  unbounded  perplexity,  he  saw  the- 
hitherto  motionless  lips  wreathe  themselves  into  a  lovely 


304  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


smile,  but  otherwise  there  was  no  response,  and  the  ghostly 
light  played  and  flickered  on,  dancing  on  temple,  brow, 
and  snowy  throat,  and  clasping  the  white  arm  in  wavy 
circlets  of  gold.  It  was  all  so  weird  and  strange  that  he 
was  growing  superstitious,  and  losing  faith  in  his  own 
senses.  He  could  not  know  that  she  was  under  the  influ 
ence  of  an  opiate,  and  that  his  voice  of  all  others  could, 
like  a  faint  echo,  find  access  to  her  mind  so  deeply  sunk  in 
lethargy. 

But  a  louder  and  nearer  explosion,  like  a  warning  voice, 
made  him  wholly  desperate  ;  and  he  roughly  seized  her 
hand,  determining  to  dispel  the  illusion,  and  learn  the  truth 
at  once. 

Christine's  blue  eyes  opened  wide  with  a  bewildered 
stare  ;  a  look  of  the  wildest  terror  came  into  them,  and  she 
started  up  and  shrieked,  "  Father  !  father  !" 

Then  turning  toward  the  as  yet  unknown  invader,  she 
cried,  piteously  :  "  Oh,  spare  my  life  !  Take  everything  ; 
I  will  give  you  anything  you  ask,  only  spare  my  life." 

She  evidently  thought  herself  addressing  a  ruthless  rob 
ber. 

Dennis  retreated  toward  the  door  the  moment  she 
awakened  ;  and  this  somewhat  reassured  her. 

In  the  firm,  quiet  tone  that  always  calms  excitement  he 
replied,  "  I  onjv^ask  you  to  give  me  your  confidence,  Miss 
Ludolph,  and  to  join  with  me,  Dennis  Fleet,  in  my  effort 
to  save  your  life. ' ' 

"  Dennis  Fleet  !  Dennis  Fleet  !  save  my  life  !  O  ye  gods, 
what  does  it  all  mean  ?"  and  she  passed  her  hand  in  bewil 
derment  across  her  brow,  as  if  to  brush  away  the  wild  fan 
cies  of  a  dream. 

"  Miss  Ludolph,  as  you  love  your  life,  arouse  yourself 
and  escape  !  The  city  is  burning  !" 

"•I  don't  believe  it  !"  she  cried,  in  an  agony  of  terror  and 
anger.  "  Leave  the  room  !  How  dare  you  !  You  are  not 
Dennis  Fleet ;  he  is  a  white  man,  and  you  are  black  !  You 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  365 

are  an  impostor  !  Leave  quick,  or  my  father  will  come 
and  take  your  life  !  Father  !  father  !" 

Dennis  without  a  word  stepped  to  the  window,  tore  aside 
the  curtain,  threw  open  the  shutters,  and  the  fire  filled  the 
room  with  the  glare  of  noonday.  At  that  moment  an  ex 
plosion  occurred  which  shook  the  very  earth.  Everything 
rattled,  and  a  beautiful  porcelain  vase  fell  crashing  to  the 
floor. 

Christine  shrieked  and  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands. 

Dennis  approached  the  bedside,  and  said  in  a  gentle,  firm 
tone  that  she  knew  to  be  his  :  "  Miss  Ludolph,  I  am  Mr. 
Fleet.  My  face  is  blackened  through  smoke  and  dust,  as 
is  every  one's  out  in  the  streets  to-night.  You  know  some 
thing  of  me,  and  I  think  you  know  nothing  dishonorable. 
Can  you  not  trust  me  ?  Indeed  you  must ;  your  life  de 
pends  upon  it  !" 

"  Oh,  pardon  me,  Mr.  Fleet !"  she  cried,  eagerly.  "  I 
am  not  worthy  of  this,  but  now  that  I  know  you,  I  do  trust 
you  from  the  depth  of  my  soul !" 

"  Prove  it  then  by  doing  just  as  I  bid  you,"  he  replied, 
in  a  voice  so  firm  and  prompt  that  it  seemed  almost  stern. 
Retreating  to  the  door,  he  continued  :  "  I  give  you  just  five 
minutes  in  which  to  make  your  toilet  and  gather  a  light 
bundle  of  your  choicest  valuables.  Dress  in  woollen 
throughout,  and  dress  warmly.  I  will  see  that  the  ser 
vants  are  aroused.  Your  father  is  on  the  south  side,  and 
cannot  reach  you.  You  must.trii§tJn._Gpd  and  what  I  can 
4Q_Jor  you." 

"  I  must  trust  to  you  alone,"  she  said.  "  Please  send  my 
maid  to  me. ' ' 

Mr.  Ludolph  had  sipped  his  wine  during  the  evening, 
and  his  servants  had  sipped,  in  no  dainty  way,  something 
stronger,  and  therefore  had  not  awakened  readily.  But 
the  uproar  in  the  streets  had  aroused  them,  and  Dennis 
found  them  scuttling  down  the  upper  stairs  in  a  half-clad 


306  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

state,  each  bearing  a  large  bundle,  which  had  boen  made 
•up  without  regard  to  meum  and  t-uum. 

"  Och,  murther  !  is  the  wourld  burning  up  ?"  cried  the 
cook. 

"Be  still,  ye  howlin'  fool,"  said  the  cool  and  travelled 
maid.  "  It's  only  von  big  fire  !" 

"  Go  to  your  mistress  and  help  her,  quick  !"  cried  Den- 
Bis. 

"  Go  to  my  meestress  !  I  go  to  de  street  and  save  mv 
life." 

"  O  Janette  !"  cried  Christine.     "  Come  and  help  me  !" 

"  I  am  meeserable  zat  I  cannot.  I  must  bid  mademoiselle 
quick  adieu,"  said  the  heartless  creature,  still  keeping  up 
the  veneer  of  French  politeness. 

Dennis  looked  through  the  upper  rooms  and  was  satisfied 
that  they  were  empty.  Suddenly  a  piercing  shriek  from 
Christine  sent  him  flying  to  her  room.  As  he  ran  he  heard 
her  cry,  "  O  Mr.  Fleet !  come  !  help  !" 

To  go  back  a  little  (for  on  that  awful  night  events 
marched  as  rapidly  as  the  flames,  and  the  experience  of 
years  was  crowded  into  hours,  and  that  of  hours  into  mo 
ments),  Christine  had  sought  as  best  she  could  to  obey  Den 
nis's  directions,  but  she  was  sadly  helpless,  having  been 
trained  to  a  foolish  dependence  on  her  maid.  She  had  ac 
complished  but  little  when  she  heard  a  heavy  step  in  the 
room.  Looking  up,  she  saw  a  strange  man  regarding  her 
with  an  evil  eye. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?"  she  faltered. 

"  You,  for  one  thing,  and  all  you  have  got,  for  another," 
was  the  brutal  reply. 

"  Leave  this  room  !"  she  cried,  in  a  voice  she  vainly  tried 
to  render  firm. 

"  Not  just  yet,  he  answered,  with  ajsatanic  grin.  She 
sought  to  escape  by  him  with  the  loua"~cTy~that  Den 
nis  heard,  but  the  ruffian  planted  his  big  grimy  hand  in 
the  delicate  frill  of  her  night-robe,  where  it  clasped  her 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  367 

throat,  and  with  a  coarse  laugh  said  :  "  Not  so  fast,  my 
dainty  !" 

Trembling  and  half  fainting  (for  she  had  no  physical 
courage),  she  cried  for  Dennis,  and  never  did  knightly  heart 
respond  with  more  brave  and  loving  throb  to  the  cry  of 
helpless  woman  than  his.  He  came  with  almost  the  im 
petus  of  a  thunderbolt,  and  the  man,  startled,  looked 
around,  and  catching  a  glimpse  of  Dennis's  blazing  eyes, 
dropped  his  hold  on  Christine,  and  shrunk  and  cowered 
from  the  blow  he  could  not  avert.  Before  his  hand  could 
instinctively  reach  the  pistol  it  sought,  there  was  a  thud, 
and  he  fell  like  a  log  to  the  floor.  Then,  springing  upon 
him,  Dennis  took  away  his  weapons,  and,  seizing  him  by 
the  collar  of  his  coat,  dragged  him  backward  downstairs 
and  thrust  him  into  the  street.  Pointing  his  own  pistol  at 
him,  he  said,  "  If  you  trouble  us  again,  I  will  shoot  you 
like  a  dog* !" 

The  villain  slunk  off,  and  finding  some  kindred  spirits; 
sacking  a  liquor-store  not  far  off,  he  joined  the  orgy,  seek 
ing  to  drown  his  rage  in  rum,  and  he  succeeded  so  effectu 
ally  that  he  lay  in  the  gutter  soon  after.  The  escaping 
multitude  trampled  over  him,  and  soon  the  fire  blotted  out 
his  miserable  existence,  as  it  did  that  of  so  many  who  ren 
dered  themselves  powerless  by  drink. 

When  Dennis  returned  he  found  Christine  panting  help 
lessly  on  a  chair. 

"  Oh,  dress  !  dress  1"  he  cried.  "  We  have  not  a  moment 
to  spare," 

The  sparks  and  cinders  were  falling  about  the  house,  a 
perfect  storm  of  fire.  The  roof  was  already  blazing,  and 
smoke  was  pouring  down  the  stairs. 

At  his  suggestion  she  had  at  first  laid  out  a  heavy  wool 
len  dress  and  Scotch  plaid  shawl.  She  nervously  sought 
to  put  on  the  dress,  but  her  trembling  fingers  could  not 
fasten  it  over  her  wildly  throbbing  bosom.  Dennis  saw 
that  in  the  terrible  emergency  he  must  act  the  part  of  a 


368  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

\ 

brother  or  husband,  and  springing  forward  he  assisted  her 
with  the  dexterity  he  had  learned  in  childhood. 

Just  then  a  blazing  piece  of  roof,  borne  on  the  wings  of 
the  gale,  crashed  through  the  window,  and  in  a  moment 
the  apartment,  that  had  seemed  like  a  beautiful  casket  for 
a  still  more  exquisite  jewel,  was  in  flames. 

Hastily  wrapping  Christine  in  the  blanket  shawl,  he 
snatched  her,  crying  and  wringing  her  hands,  into  the 
street. 

Holding  his  hand  she  ran  two  or  three  blocks  with  all 
the  speed  her  wild  terror  prompted  ;  then  her  strength 
began  to  fail,  and  she  pantingly  cried  that  she  could  run 
no  longer.  But  this  rapid  rush  carried  them  out  of  imme 
diate  peril,  and  brought  them  into  the  flying  throng  press 
ing  their  way  northward  and  westward.  Wedged  into  the 
multitude  they  could  only  move  on  with  it  in  the  desperate 
struggle  forward.  But  fire  was  falling  about  them  like  a 
meteoric  shower. 

Suddenly  Christine  uttered  a  sharp  cry  of  pain.  She  had 
stepped  on  a  burning  cinder,  and  then  realized  for  the  first 
time,  in  her  excitement,  that  her  feet  were  bare. 

"  Oh,  what  shall  I  do  ?"  she  cried  piteously,  limping  and 
leaning  heavily  on  Dennis's  arm. 

"  Indeed,  Miss  Ludolph,  from  my  heart  I  pity  you." 

"Can  you  saveme  ?  Oh,  do  you  think  .jxm  can  save 
me?"  she ^oaneoTrnT^rrsgoTiy  or i eaf. 

"  Yes,  I  feel  sure  I  can.  At  any  rate  I  shall  not  leave 
you  ;"  and  taking  her  a  little  out  of  the  jostling  crowd  he 
knelt  and  bound  up  the  burned  foot  with  his  handkerchief. 
A  little  farther  on  they  came  to  a  shore-store  with  doors 
open  and  owners  gone.  Almost  carrying  Christine  into  it, 
for  her  other  foot  was  cut  and  bleeding,  he  snatched  down 
a  pair  of  bo/'s  stout  gaiters,  and  wiping  with  another  hand 
kerchief  the  blood  and  dust  from  her  tender  little  feet,  he 
made  the  handkerchiefs  answer  for  stockings,  and  drew  the 
shoes  on  over  them. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  369 

In  the  brief  moment  so  occupied,  Christine  said,  with 
tears  in  her  eyes  :  "  Mr.  Fleet,  how  kind  you  are  1  How 
little  I  deserve  all  this  !" 

He  looked  up  with  a  happy  smile,  and  she  little  knew 
that  her  few  words  amply  repaid  him. 

There  was  a  crash  in  the  direction  of  the  fire.  With  a 
cry  of  fear,  Christine  put  out  her  hands  and  clung  to  him. 

"  Oh,  we  shall  perish  !     Are  you  not  afraid  ?" 

"  I  tremble  for  you,  Miss  Ludolph." 

"  Not  for  yourself  ?" 

"  No  !  why  should  I  ?  I  am  safe.  Heaven  and  mother 
are  just  beyond  this  tempest." 

"  I  would  give  worlds  for  your  belief." 

"  Come  quick  !"  cried  he,  and  they  joined  the  fugitives, 
and  for  a  half -hour  pressed  forward  as  fast  as  was  possible 
through  the  choked  streets,  Dennis  merely  saying  an  en 
couraging  word  now  and  then.  Suddenly  she  felt  herself 
carried  to  one  side,  and  falling  to  the  ground  writh  him. 
In  a  moment  he  lifted  her  up,  and  she  saw  with  sickening 
terror  an  infuriated  dray-horse  plunging  through  the 
crowd,  striking  down  men,  women,  and  children. 

"  Are  you  hurt  ?"  he  asked,  gently,  passing  his  arm. 
around  her  and  helping  her  forward,  that  they  might  not 
lose  a  single  step. 

"  Awful !    Awful !"  she  said,  in  a  low,  shuddering  tone. 

The  dreadful  scenes  and  the  danger  were  beginning  to 
overpower  her. 

A  little  farther  on  they  reached  an  avenue  to  the  north 
west  through  which  Dennis  hoped  to  escape.  But  they 
could  make  but  little  headway  through  the  dense  masses 
of  drays,  carriages,  and  human  beings,  and  at  last  every 
thing  came  to  a  dead  lock.  Their  only  hope  was  to  stand 
in  their  place  till  the  living  mass  moved  on  again. 

Strange,  grotesque,  and  sad  beyond  measure  were  the 
scenes  by  which  they  were  surrounded.  By  the  side  of  the 
aristocratic  Christine,  now  Baroness  Ludolph,  stood  a  stout 


370  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

Irishwoman,  hugging  a  grunting,  squealing  pig  to  her 
breast.  A  little  in  advance  a  hook-nosed  spinster  carried 
in  a  cage  a  hook-nosed  parrot  that  kept  discordantly  cry 
ing,  "Polly  want  a  cracker."  At  Dennis's  left  a  delicate 
lady  of  the  highest  social  standing  clasped  to  her  bare 
bosom  a  babe  "that  slept  as  peacefully  as  in  the  luxurious 
nursery  at  home.  At  her  side  was  a  little  girl  carrying  as 
tenderly  a  large  wax  doll.  A  diamond  necklace  sparkled 
like  a  circlet  of  fire  around  the  lady's  neck.  Her  husband 
had  gone  to  the  south  side,  and  she  had  had  but  time  to 
snatch  this  and  her  children.  A  crowd  of  obscene  and  pro 
fane  rowdies  stood  just  behind  them,  and  with  brutal  jest 
and  coarse  laughter  they  passed  around  a  whiskey-bottle. 
One  of  these  roughs  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  diamond  neck 
lace,  and  was  putting  forth  his  blackened  hand  to  grasp  it, 
when  Dennis  pointed  the  captured  pistol  at  him  and  said, 
"  This  is  law  now  !" 

The  fellow  slunk  back. 

Just  before  them  was  a  dray  with  a  corpse  half  covered 
with  a  blanket.  The  family  sat  around  crying  and  wring 
ing  their  hands,  and  the  driver  stood  in  his  seat,  cursing 
and  gesticulating  for  those  in  advance  to  move  on.  Some 
moments  passed,  but  there  was  no  progress.  Dennis  be 
came  very  anxious,  for  the  fire  was  rapidly  approaching, 
and  the  sparks  were  falling  like  hail.  Every  few  moments 
some  woman's  dress  was  ablaze,  or  some  one  was  struck  by 
the  flying  brands,  and  shrieks  for  help  were  heard  on  every 
side.  Christine,  being  clad  in  woollen,  escaped  this  peril 
in  part.  She  stood  at  Dennis's  side  trembling  like  a  leaf, 
with  her  hands  over  her  face  to  shut  out  the  terrible  sights. 

At  last  the  driver,  fearing  for  his  life,  jumped  off  his  dray 
and  left  all  to  their  fate.  But  a  figure  took  his  place  that 
thrilled  Dennis's  heart  with  horror. 

There  on  the  high  seat  stood  Susie  Winthrop, — rather 
Mrs.  Leonar^  The  light  of  insanity  glowed  in  her  eyes  ; 
her  long  hair  swept  away  to  the  north,  and  turning  toward 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  371 

the  fiery  tempest  she  bent  forward  as  if  looking  for  some 
one.  But  after  a  moment  she  sadly  shook  her  head,  as  if 
she  had  sought  in  vain.  Suddenly  she  reached  out  her 
white  arms  toward  the  fire,  and  sung,  clear  and  sweet 
above  the  horrid  din  : — 

"  O  burning  flakes  of  fiery  snow, 
.      Bury  me  too,  bury  me  deep  ; 
My  lover  sleeps  thy  banks  below  ; 
Fall  on  me,  that  I  may  sleep  !'  ' 

At  this  moment  a  blazing  brand  fell  upon  the  horses' 
heads  ;  they  started  forward,  and  the  crazed  lady  fell  over 
on  the  corpse  below.  The  animals  being  thoroughly  terri 
fied  turned  sharp  around  on  the  sidewalk,  and  tore  their 
way  right  toward  the  fire,  trampling  down  those  in  their 
track,  and  so  vanished  with  their  strangely  assorted  load. 

Dennis,  fearing  to  stay  any  longer  where  he  was,  deter 
mined  to  follow  in  their  wake  and  find  a  street  leading  to 
the  north  less  choked,  even-  though  it  might  be  nearer  the 
fire,  and  so  with  his  trembling  companion  he  pressed  for 
ward  again. 

Two  blocks  below  he  found  one  comparatively  clear,  but 
in  terrible  proximity  to  the  conflagration.  Indeed,  the 
houses  were  burning  on  each  side,  but  the  street  seemed 
clear  of  flame.  He  thought  that  by  swiftly  running  they 
could  get  through.  But  Christine's  strength  was  fast  fail 
ing  her,  and  just  as  they  reached  the  middle  of  the  block  a 
tall  brick  building  fell  across  the  street  before  them  !  Thus 
their  only  path  of  escape  was  blocked  by  a  blazing  mass  of 
ruins  that  it  would  have  been  death  to  cross. 

They  seemed  hemmed  in  on  every  side,  and  Dennis 
groaned  in  agony. 

Christine  looked  for  a  moment  at  the  impassable  fiery 
barrier,  then  at  Dennis,  in  whose  face  and  manner  she  read 
unutterable  sympathy  for  herself,  and  the  truth  flashed 
upon  her. 

With  a  piercing  shriek  she  fainted  dead  away  in  his  arms. 


372  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

ON   THE  BEACH. 

IN  the  situation  of  supreme  peril  described  in  the  last 
chapter,  Dennis  stood  a  second  helpless  and  hopeless. 
Christine  rested  a  heavy  burden  in  his  arms,  happily  un 
conscious,  Breathing  an  agonized  prayer  to  heaven,  he 
looked  around  for  any  possibility  of  escape.  Just  then  an 
express-wagon  was  driven  furiously  toward  them,  its  driver 
seeking  his  way  out  by  the  same  path  that  Dennis  had 
chosen.  As  he  reached  them  the  man  saw  the  hopeless 
obstruction,  and  wheeled  his  horses.  As  he  did  so,  quick 
as  thought,  Dennis  threw  Christine  into  the  bottom  of  the 
wagon,  and,  clinging  to  it,  climbed  into  it  himself.  He 
turned  her  face  downward  from  the  fire,  and,  covering  his 
own,  he  crouched  beside  her,  trusting  all  now  to  God. 

The  driver  urged  his 


that  his  only  chance.  They  tore  away  through  the  blazing 
streets.  The  poor  man  was  soon  swept  from  his  seat  and 
•perished,  but  his  horses  rushed  madly  on  till  they  plunged 
into  the  lake. 

At  the  sound  of  water  Dennis  lifted  his  head  and  gave  a 
cry  of  joy.  It  .seemed  that  the  hand  of  G-od  had  snatched 
them  from  death.  Greatly  lie~lifted"Christine  out  upon  the 
sands  an3"cornmenced  bathing  her  face  from  the  water  that 
broke  in  spray  at  his  feet.  She  soon  revived  and  looked 
around,  In  a  voice  full  of  awe  and  wonder  she  whispered, 
"  Ah  !  there  is  another  world  and  another  life,  after  all." 

'TsaCecl  there  is,  Miss  Ludolph,"  said  Dennis,  support 
ing  her  on  his  arm  and  bending  over  her,  "  but,  thanks  to 
a  merciful  Providence,  you  are  still  in  this  one." 

"How  is  it?"  she  said,  with  a  bewildered  air.  "  I  do 
not  understand.  The  last  I  remember,  we  were  surrounded 
by  fire,  you  were  despairing,  and  it  seemed  that  I  died." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.   ,          373 

"  You  fainted,  Miss  Luclolph.  But  God  as  by  a  miracle 
brought  us  out  of  the  furnace,  and  for  the  present  we  are 
safe. ' '  After  she  had  sufficiently  rallied  from  her  excessive 
exhaustion  and  terror,  he  told  her  how  they  escaped. 

"  I  see  no  God  in  it  all,"  she  said;  "  only;a  most  for 
tunate  opportunity,  of  which  you,  with  great  nerve  and 
presence  of  mind,  availed  yourself.  To  you  alone,  again 
and  again  this  dreadful  night,  I  owe  mv  life." 

' '  God  uses  us  as  His  instruments  to  do  His  will.  The 
light  will  come  to  you  by  and  by,  and  you  will  learn  a 
better  wisdom. ' ' 

4 '  In  this  awful  conflagration  the  light  has  come.  On 
every  side  I  see  as  in  letters  of  fire,  *  There  is  no  God.'  If 
it  were  otherwise  these  scenes  would  be  impossible.  And 
any  being  permitting  or  causing  the  evils  and  crimes  this 
dreadful  night  has  witnessed,  I  shall  fear  and  hate  beyond 
the  power  of  language  to  express." 

She  uttered  these  words  sitting  on  the  sands  with  multi 
tudes  of  others,  her  face  (from  which  Dennis  had  washed 
the  dust  and  smoke)  looking  in  the  glare  so  wan  and  white 
that  he  feared,  with  a  sickening  dread,  that  through  expos 
ure,  terror,  or  some  of  the  many  dangers  by  which  they 
were  surrounded,  she  might  pass  into  the  future  world 
with  all  her  unbelief  and  spiritual  darkness.  He  yearned 
over  her  with  a  solicitude  and  pity  that  he  could  not  ex 
press.  She  seemed  so  near,— indeed  he  could  feel  her  form 
tremble,  as  he  knelt  beside  her,  and  supported  her  by  his 
arm, — and  yet,  in  view  of  her  faithless  state,  how  widely 
were  they  separated  !  Should  any  one  of  the  many  perils 
about  them  quench  the  little  candle  of  her  life,  which  even 
now  nickered  faintly,  where  in  the  wide  universe  could  he 
hope  to  meet  her  again  ?  God  can  no  doubt  console  His 
children  and  make  up  to  them  every  loss,  but  the  passion 
ate  heart,  with  its  intense  human  love,  clings  to  its  idol 
none  the  less. 

Dennis  saw  that  the  fire  would  probably  hem  them  in  on 


374       .  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

the  beach  for  the  remainder  of  the  night  and  the  following 
day.  He  determined  therefore  in  every  way  possible  to 
beguile  the  weary,  perilous  hours,  and,  if  she  would  per 
mit  it,  to  lead  her  thoughts  heavenward.  Hence  arose 
from  time  to  time  conversations,  to  which,  with  joy,  he 
found  Christine  no  longer  averse.  Indeed,  she  often  intro 
duced  them. 

,  Chafing  her  hands,  he  said  in  accents  of  the  deepest 
sympathy,  "  How  I  pity  you,  Miss  Ludolph  !  It  must 
indeed  be  terrible  to  possess  your  thoughtful  mind,  to 
realize  these  scenes  so  keenly,  and  yet  have  no  faith  in  a 
Divine  Friend.  I  cannot  explain  to  you  the  mystery  of 
evil,— why  it  came,  or  why  it  exists.  Who  can?  I  am 
but  one  of  God's  little  children,  and  only  know  with  cer 
tainty  that  my  Heavenly  Father  loves  and  will  take  care 
of  me." 

"  How  do  you  know  it  ?"  she  asked,  eagerly. 

"  In  several  ways.     Mainly  because. J  ffiflLU," 

"  It  all  seems  so  vague  and  unreal,"  she  sighed,  dream 
ily.  "  There  is  nothing  certain,  assured.  There  is  no  test 
by  which  I  can  at  once  know  the  truth." 

"  That  does  not  prevent  the  truth  from  existing.  That 
some  are  blind  is  no  proof  that  color  does  not  exist." 

"  But  how  can  you  be  sure  there  is  a  God  ?  You  never 
saw  Him." 

"  I  do  not  see  the  heat  that  scorches  us,  but  I  feel  it,  and 
know  it  exists." 

"  But  I  feel  the  heat  the  same  as  yourself,  and  I  have  no 
consoiousness  of  a  Divine  Being." 

"  That  does  not  take  away  my  consciousness  that  He  is 
my  Saviour  and  Friend.  As  yet  you  are  spiritually  dead. 
If  you  were  physically  dead,  you  would  not  feel  the  heat 
of  this  fire." 

"  Oh,  it  is  all  mystery,— -darkness,"  she  cried,  piteously. 

The  sun  had  now  risen  quite  above  the  waters  of  the 
lake,  but  seen  through  the  lurid  smoke  which  swept  over 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  375 

Its  face,  it  seemed  like  one  of  the  great  red  cinders  that 
were  continually  sailing  over  their  heads.  In  the  frightful 
glare,  the  transition  from  night  to  day  had  scarcely  been 
noted.  The  long,  narrow  beach  was  occupied  by  thousands 
of  fugitives,  who  were  hemmed  in  on  every  side.  On  the 
south  was  the  river,  skirted  with  fire,  while  opposite,  on 
the  west,  the  heat  was  almost  intolerable  ;  on  the  east  were 
the  cold  waves  of  the  lake,  and  on  the  north  a  burning 
pier  that  they  could  not  cross.  Their  only  hope  was  to 
cling  to  that  narrow  line  where  fire  and  water  mingled,  and 
with  one  element  to  fight  the  other.  Here  again  was  seen 
the  mingling  of  all  classes  which  the  streets  and  every 
place  of  refuge  witnessed.  Judges,  physicians,  statesmen, 
clergymen,  bankers,  were  jostled  by  roughs  and  thieves. 
The  laborer  sat  on  the  sand  with  his  family,  side  by  side 
with  the  millionnaire  and  his  household.  The  poor  de 
bauched  woman  of  the  town  moaned  and  shivered  in  her 
scant  clothing,  at  a  slight  remove  from  the  most  refined 
Christian  lady.  In  the  unparalleled  disaster,  all  social  dis 
tinctions  were  lost,  levelled  like  the  beach  on  which  the 
fugitives  cowered.  From  some  groups  was  heard  the  voice 
of  prayer  ;  from  others,  bitter  wailings  and  passionate 
cries  for  ]ost  members  of  the  family  ;  others  had  saved 
quantities  of  vile  whiskey,  if  nothing  else,  and  made  the 
scene  more  ghastly  by  orgies  that  seemed  not  of  earth. 
Added  to  the  liquor,  were  the  mad  excitement  and  reck 
lessness  which  often  seize  the  depraved  classes  on  such 
occasions.  They  committed  excesses  that  cannot  be  men 
tioned, — these  drunken,  howling,  fighting  wretches.  Ob 
scene  epithets  and  words  fell  around  like  blows.  And  yet 
all  were  so  occupied  with  their  own  misfortunes,  sufferings, 
and  danger,  as  scarcely  to  heed  their  neighbors,  unless 
these  became  very  violent. 

Upon  this  heterogeneous  mass  of  humanity  the  fire  rained 
down  almost  as  we  imagine  it  to  have  fallen  upon  the 
doomed  cities  of  the  plain,  and  the 'hot  breath  of  the  flames 


376  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

scorched  the  exposed  cheek  and  crisped  even  eyebrows  and 
hair.  Sparks,  flakes,  cinders,  pieces  of  roof,  and  fiery 
pebbles  seemed  to  fill  the  air,  and  often  cries  and  shrieks 
announced  that  furniture  and  bedding  which  had  been 
dragged  thither,  and  even  the  clothing  of  women  and  chil 
dren,  were  burning.  Added  to  all  the  other  terrors  of  the 
scene  was  the  presence  of  large  numbers  of  horses  and 
cattle,  snorting  and  plunging  in  their  fright  and  pain. 

But  the  sound  that  smote  Dennis's  heart  with  the  deep 
est  commiseration  was  the  continuous  wail  of  helpless  little 
children,  many  of  them  utterly  separated  from  parents  and 
friends,  and  in  the  very  agony  of  fear. 

He  greatly  dreaded  the  effect  of  these  upon  Christine, 
knowing  how,  in  the  luxurious  past,  she  had  been  shielded 
from  every  rough  experience.  But  she  at  length  rallied 
into  something  like  composure.  Her  constitution  was 
elastic  and  full  of  vitality,  and  after  escaping  from  imme 
diate  danger  she  again  began  to  hope.  Moreover,  to  a 
degree  that  even]  she  could  not  understand,  his  presence 
was  a  source  of  strength  and  courage,  and  her  heart  clung 
to  him  with  desperate  earnestness,  believing  him  the  sole 
barrier  against  immediate  death,  and  (what  she  dreaded 
scarcely  less)  a  lonely,  wretched  existence,  should  her  life 
be  spared. 

Though  he  never  lost  sight  of  her  for  a  moment,  and 
kept  continually  wetting  her  hair  and  person,  he  found  time 
to  render  assistance  to  others,  and,  by  carrying  his  hat  full  of 
water  here  and  there,  extinguished  many  a  dangerous  spark. 
He  also,  again  and  again,  snatched  up  little  children  from 
under  the  trampling  hoofs  of  frightened  horses. 

As  she  watched  him,  so  self-forgetful  and  fearless,  she 
realized  more  and  more  vividly  that  he  was  sustained  and 
animated  by  some  mighty  principle  that  she  knew  nothing 
of,  and  could  not  understand.  The  impression  grew  upon 
her  that  he  was  right  and  she  wrong.  Though  it  all  re- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  377 

mained  in  mystery  and  doubt,  she  could  not  resist  the 
logic  of  true  Christian  action. 

But  as  the  day  advanced  the  flames  grew  hotter,  and 
their  breath  more  withering.  About  noon  Dennis  noticed 
that  some  shanties  on  the  sand  near  them  were  in  danger 
of  catching  fire  and  perilling  all  in  that  vicinity.  There 
fore  he  said,  "-Miss  Ludolph,  stay  here  where  I  leave  you 
for  a  little  time,  so  that  I  may  know  just  where  to  find 
you." 

"  Oh,  do  not  leave  me  !"  she  pleaded  ;  "  I  have  no  one 
in  the  wide  world  to  help  me  except  you." 

"  I  shall  not  be  beyond  call.  You  see  those  shanties 
there  ;  if  possible  we  must  keep  them  from  burning,  or  the 
fire  will  come  too  near  for  safety."  Then,  starting  for 
ward,  he  cried,  ".Who  will  volunteer  to  keep  the  fire  back  ? 
All  must  see  that  if  those  buildings  burn  we  shall  be  in 
danger." 

Several  men  stepped  forward,  and  with  hats  and  any 
thing  that  would  hold  water  they  began  to  wet  the  old 
rookeries.  But  the  fiery  storm  swooped  steadily  down  on 
them,  and  their  efforts  were  as  futile  as  if  they  had  tried 
to  beat  back  the  wind.  Suddenly  a  mass  of  flame  leaped 
upon  the  buildings,  and  in  a  moment  they  were  all  ablaze. 

"Into  the  lake,  quick  1"  cried  Dennis,  and  all  rushed 
for  the  cool  waters. 

Lifting  Christine  from  the  sand,  and  passing  his  arm 
around  her  trembling,  shivering  form,  he  plunged  through 
the  breakers,  and  the  crowd  pressed  after  him.  Indeed 
they  pushed  him  so  far  out  in  the  cold  waves  that  he 
nearly  lost  his  footing,  and  for  a  few  moments  Christine 
lost  hers  altogether,  and  added  her  cries  to  those  of  the 
terror-stricken  multitude.  But  pushing  in  a  little  nearer 
the  shore,  he  held  her  firmly  and  said,  with  the  confidence 
that  <*gain  inspired  hope:  "Courage,  Miss  Ludolph. 
With  God's  help  I  will  save  you  yet." 

Even  as  she  clung  to  him  in  the  water,  she  looked  into 


378  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

his  face.  He  was  regarding  her  so  kindly,  so  pitifully, 
that  a  great  and  generous  impulse,  the  richest,  ripest  fruit 
of  her  human  love,,  throbbed  at  her  heart,  and  faltered 
from  her  lips, — "Mr.  Fleet,  I  am  not  worthy  of  this  risk 
on  your  part.  If  you  will  leave  me  you  can  save  your 
own  life,  and  your  life  is  worth  so  much  more  than  mine  !" 

True  and  deep  must  have  been  the  affection  that  could 
lead  Christine  Ludolph  to  say  such  words  to  any  human 
being.  There  was  a  time  when,  in  her  creed,  all  the  world 
existed  but  to  minister  to  her.  But  she  was  not  sorry  to 
see  the  look  of  pained  surprise  which  came  into  Dennis's 
face  and  to  hear  him  say,  very  sadly  :  "  Miss  Ludolph, 
I  lid  not  imagine  that  you  could  think  me  capable  of  that. 
I  nad  the  good  fortune  to  rescue  Miss  Brown  last  night,  at 
greater  peril  than  this,  and  do  you  think  I  would  leave 
you?" 

"  You  are  a  true  k,night,  Mr.  Fleet,"  she  said,  humbly, 
"and  the  need  or  danger  of  every  defenceless  woman  is 
alike  a  sacred  claim  upon  you. " 

Dennis  was  about  to  intimate  that,  though  this  was  true 
in  knightly  creed,  still  among  all  the  women  in  the  world 
there  might  be  a  preference,  when  a  score  of  horses,  driven 
before  the  fire,  and  goaded  by  the  burning  cinders,  rushed 
down  the  beach,  into  the  water,  right  among  the  human 
fugitives. 

Again  went  up  the  cry  of  agony  and  terror.  Some  were 
no  doubt  stricken  down  not  to  rise  again.  In  the  melee 
Dennis  pushed  out  into  deeper  water,  where  the  frantic 
animals  could  not  plunge  upon  him.  A  child  floated  near, 
and  he  snatched  it  up.  As  soon  as  the  poor  brutes  became 
quiet,  clasping  Christine  with  his  right  arm  and  holding 
up  the  child  with  the  other,  he  waded  into  shallow  water. 

The  peril  was  now  perhaps  at  its  height,  and  all  were 
obliged  to  wet  their  heads,  to  keep  even  their  hair  from 
singeing.  Those  on  the  beach  threw  water  on  each  other 
without  cessation.  Many  a  choice  bit  of  property— it 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  379 

might  be  a  piano,  or  au  express-wagon  loaded  with  the 
richest  furs  and  driven  to  the  beach  as  a  place  of  fancied 
security — now  caught  fire,  and  added  to  the  heat  and  con 
sternation. 

When  this  hour  of  extreme  danger  had  passed,  standing 
with  the  cold  billows  of  the  lake  breaking  round  him,  and 
the  billows  of,  fire  still  rolling  overhead,  Dennis  began  to 
sing  in  his  loud,  clear  voice  : — 

"  Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul, 

Let  me  to  thy;;bosom  fly, 
While  the  billows  near  me  roll, 
While  the  tempest  still  is  high." 

Voice  after  voice  joined  in,  some  loud  and  strong,  but 
others  weak  and  trembling,— the  pitiful  cry  of  poor  terror- 
stricken  women  to  the  only  One  who  it  seemed  could  help 
them  in  their  bitter  extremity.  Never  before  were  those 
beautiful  words  sung  in  such  accents  of  clinging,  touching 
faith.  Its  sweet  cadence  was  heard  above  the  roar  of  the 
flames  and  the  breakers. 

Christine  could  only  cling  weeping  to  Dennis. 

When  the  hymn  ceased,  in  harshest  discord  the  voice  of 
a  half-drunken  man  grated  on  their  ears. 

"An*  what  in  bloody  blazes  does  yer  Jasus  burn  us  all 
up  for,  I'd  like  to  know.  Sure  an'  He's  no  right  to  send 
us, to  hell  before  our  time." 

"  Oh,  hush  !  hush  !"  cried  a  dozen  voices,  shocked  and 
pained. 

"  Divil  a  bit  will  I  hush,  sure  ;  an'  haven't  I  as  good  a 
right  to  have  me  say  as  that  singin'  parson  !" 

"  You  are  an  Irishman,  are  you  not  ?"  said  Dennis,  now 
venturing  out  of  the  water. 

"  Yis  !  what  have  ye  got  to  say  agin  it  ?"  asked  the  man, 
belligerent  at  once. 

' '  Did  you  ever  know  an  Irishman  refuse  to  do  what  a 
lady  asked  of  him  ?" 


380  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  Faith  no,  and  I  niver  will." 

"  Then  this  lady,  who  is  sick  and  suffering,  asks  you  to 
please  keep  still,  and  I  will  be  still  also  ;  so  that's  fair." 

The  Irishman  scratched  his  head  a  moment,  and  said  in 
a  quieter  tone,  "  Since  ye  spake  so  civil  and  dacent,  I'll  do 
as  ye  sez  ;  and  here'*  to  the  leddy's  health  ;"  and  he  fin 
ished  a  bottle  of  whiskey,  which  soon  laid  him  out  on  the 
beach. 

"  Thank  you  !  Thank  you  !"  said  grateful  voices  on 
every  side. 

Dennis  found  the  mother  of  the  child  and  gave  it  to  her  ; 
and  then  causing  Christine  to  sit  down  near  the  water, 
where  he  could  easily  throw  it  on  her,  he  stood  at  her  sklc, 
vigilant  and  almost  tender  in  his  solicitude.  Her  tears. 
were  falling  very  fast,  and  he  presently  stooped  down  and 
said,  gently,  •'  Miss  Ludolph,  I  think  the  worst  of  tho 
danger  is  over. " 

"O  Mr.  Fleet!"  she  whispered,  "dreadful  as  it  may 
seem  to  you,  the  words  of  that  drunken  brute  there  are 
nearer  the  language  of  my  heart  than  those  of  your  sweet 
hymn.  How  can  a  good  God  permit  such  creatures  and 
evils  to  exist?" 

"  Again  I  must  say  to  you,"  said  Dennis,  "  that  I  cannot 
explain  the  mystery  of  evil.  But  I  know  this,  God  is 
superior  to  it  ;  He  will  at  last  triumph  over  it.  The  Bible 
reveals  Him  to  us  as  able  and  as  seeking  to  deliver  all  who 
will  trust  Him  and  work  with  Him,  and  those  who  venture 
out  upon  His  promises  find  them  true.  Miss  Ludolph,  this 
is  not  merely  a  matter  of  theory,  argument,  and  belief. 
It  is  more  truly  a  matter  of  experience.  The  Bible  invites, 
'  Oh,  taste  and  see  that  the'  Lord  is  good. '  I  have  tasted 
and  know  He  is.  I  have  trusted  Him  for  years,  and  He 
never  failed  me." 

"  You  certainly  have  been  sustained  throughout  this 
dreadful  scene  by  a  principle  that  I  cannot  understand, 
but  I  would  give  all  the  world  to  possess  it." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAJ.  381 

"  You  may  possess  it,  Miss  Ludolph." 

"  How  ?  how  ?"  she  asked,  eagerly. 

"  Do  you  wish  to  believe  as  I  do  ?" 

"  Yes,  indeed  ;  and  yet  my  heart  rebels  against  a  God 
who  permits,  even  if  He  does  not  cause,  all  this  evil." 

"  Does  it  rebel  against  a  Being  who  from  first  to  last 
tries  to  save  men  from  evil  ?"  * 

"  Tries  !  tries  !  what  an  expression  to  apply  to  a  God  ! 
Why  does  He  not  do  it  in  every  case  ?" 

"  Because  multitudes  will  not  let  Him." 

"  Oh,  that  is  worse  still !  Surely,  Mr.  Fleet,  you  let 
your  reason  have  nothing  to  do  with  your  faith.  How  can 
a  poor  and  weak  being  like  myself  prevent  an  Almighty 
one  from  doing  what  He  pleases  ?" 

"  I  am  stronger  than  you,  Miss  Ludolph,  and  yet  I  could 
not  have  saved  you  to-night  unless  you  had  first  trusted 
me,  and  then  done  everything  in  your  power  to  further  my 
efforts. " 

"But  your  power  is  human  and  limited,  and  you  say 
God  is  all-powerful. " 

"  Yes,  but  it  is  His  plan  and  purpose  never  to  save  us 
against  our  will.  He  has  made  us  in  His  own  image  and 
endowed  us  with  reason,  conscience,  and  a  will  to  choose 
between  good  and  evil.  He  appeals  to  these  noble  facul 
ties  from  first  to  last.  He  has  given  us  hearts,  and  seeks 
to  win  them  by  revealing  His  love  to  us.  More  than  all^ 
His  Spirit,  present  in  the  world,  uses  every  form  of  truth 
in  persuading  and  making  us  willing  to  become  His  true 
children.  So  you  see  that  neither  on  the  one  hand  does 
God  gather  us  up  like  drift-wood,  nor  does  He  on  the  other 
drag  us  at  His  chariot  wheels,  unwilling  captives,  as  did 
those  who,  at  various  times,  have  sought  to  overrun  the 
world  by  force.  God  seeks  to  conquer  the  world  by  the 
might  of  the  truth,  by  the  might  of  love." 

Christine  was  hanging  with  the  most  eager  interest  on 
his  words.  Suddenly  his  eyes,  which  had 'expressed  such 


382  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

a  kindly  and  almost  tender  interest  in  her,  blazed  with 
indignation,  and  lie  darted  up  the  beach.  Turning  around 
she  saw,  at  some  little  distance,  a  young  woman  most 
scantily  clad,  clinging  desperately  to  a  bundle  which  a 
large,  coarse  man  was  trying  to  wrench  from  her.  The 
wretch,  finding  that  he  could  not  loosen  her  hold,  struck 
her  in  the  face  with  such  force  that  she  fell  stunned  upon 
the  ground,  and  the  bundle  flew  out  of  her  hand.  He 
eagerly  snatched  it  up,  believing  it  to  contain  jewelry. 
Before  he  could  escape  he  was  confronted  by  an  unex 
pected  enemy.  But  Dennis  was  in  a  passion,  and  withal 
weak  and  exhausted,  while  his  adversary  was  cool,  and  an 
adept  in  the  pugilistic  art.  The  two  men  fought  savagely, 
and  Christine,  forgetting  herself  in  her  instinctive  desire 
to  help  Dennis,  was  rushing  to  his  side,  crying,  "  If  there- 
is  a  man  here  worthy  of  the  name,  let  him  strike  for  the 
right  1"  but  before  she  and  others  could  reach  the  com 
batants  the  thief  had  planted  his  fist  on  Dennis's  temple. 
Though  the  latter  partially  parried  the  blow,  it  fell  with 
such  force  as  to  extend  him  senseless  on  the  earth.  The 
villain,  with  a  shout  of  derision,  snatched  up  the  bundle 
and  dashed  off  apparently  toward  the  fire.  There  was  but 
a  feeble  attempt  made  to  follow  him.  Few  understood  the 
case,  and  indeed  scenes  of  violence  and  terror  had  become 
so  common  that  the  majority  had  grown  apathetic,  save 
in  respect  to  their  personal  well-being. 

Christine  lifted  the  pale  face,  down  which  the  blood  was 
trickling,  into  her  lap,  and  cried,  in  a  tone  of  indescribable 
anguish,  "  Oh,  he  is  dead  !  he  is  dead  !" 

"  Oh,  no,  miss  ;  he  is  not  dead,  I  guess,"  said  a  good- 
natured  voice  near.  "  Let  me  bring  a  hatful  of  water 
from  the  lake,  and  that'll  bring  him  to." 

And  so  it  dfd.  Dennis  opened  his  eyes,  put  his  hand  to 
his  head,  and  then  looked  around.  But  when  he  saw 
Christine  bending  over  him  with  tearful  eyes,  and  realized 
how  tenderly  she  had  pillowed  his  aching  head,  he  started 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  38$ 

up  with  deep  flush  of  pleasure,  and  said  :  "  Do  not  be 
alarmed,  Miss  Ludolph  ;  I  was  only  stunned  for  a  moment. 
"Where  is  the  thief?" 

"  Oh,  they  let  him  escape,"  said  Christine,  indignantly. 

"  Shame  !"  cried  Dennis,  regaining  his  feet  rather  un 
steadily. 

"  Wai,  stranger,  a  good  many  wrongs  to-night  must  go 
unrighted." 

The  poor  girl  who  had  been  robbed  sat  on  the  sands 
swaying  back  and  forth,  wringing  her  hands,  and  crying 
that  she  had  lost  everything. 

"  Well,  my  poor  friend,  that  is  about  the  case  with  the 
most  of  us.  We  may  be  thankful  that  we  have  our  lives. 
Here  is  my  coat,"  for  her  shoulders  and  neck  were  bare  ; 
"  and  if  you  will  come  down  to  the  lake  this  lady,"  point 
ing  to  Christine,  *'  will  bathe  the  place  where  the  brute 
struck  you." 

"  Shall  I  not  give  up  my  shawl  to  some  of  these  poor 
creatures?"  asked  Christine. 

"  No,  Miss  Ludolph,  I  do  not  know  how  long  we  may 
be  kept  here  ;  but  I  fear  we  shall  suffer  as  much  from  cold 
as  from  heat,  and  your  life  might  depend  upon  keeping 
warm." 

"I  will  do  whatever  you  bid  me,"  she  said,  looking 
gratefully  at  him. 

"  That  is  the  way  to  feel  and  act  toward  God,"  he  said, 
gently. 

But  with  sudden  impetuosity  she  answered  :  <l  I  cannot. 
See  what  He  has  just  permitted  to  happen  before  my  eyes. 
Right  has  not  triumphed,  but  the  foulest  wrong/' 

"  You  do  not  see  the  end,  Miss  Ludolph." 

"  But  I  must  judge  from  what  I  see." 

After  she  had  bathed  the  poor  girl's  face,  comforted  and 
reassured  her,  Dennis  took  up  the  conversation  again  and 
found  Christine  eager  to  listen.  Pausing  every  few  mo 
ments  to  throw  water  over  his  companion,  he  said  :  "  Faith 


384  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

is  beyond  reason,  beyond  knowledge,  though  not  contrary 
to  them.  You  are  judging  as  we  do  not  judge  about  the 
commonest  affairs, — from  a  few  isolated,  mysterious  facts, 
instead  of  carefully  looking  the  subject  all  over.  You 
pass  by  what  is  plain  and  well  understood  to  what  is 
obscure,  and  from  that  point  seek  to  understand  Chris 
tianity.  Every  science  has  its  obscure  points  and  mys 
teries,  but  who  begins  with  those  to  learn  the  science? 
Can  you  ignore  the  fact  that  millions  of  highly  intelligent 
people,  with  every  motive  to  know  the  truth,  have  satisfied 
themselves  as  to  the  reality  of  our  faith  ?  Our  Bible  sys 
tem  of  truth  may  contain  much  that  is  obscure,  even  as  the 
starry  vault  has  distances  that  nro  eye  or  telescope  can 
penetrate,  and  as  this  little  earth  has  mysteries  that  science 
cannot  solve,  but  there  is  enough  known  and  understood 
to  satisfy  us  perfectly.  Let  me^ssure  3^011,  Miss  Ludolph, 
that  Christianity  rests  on  broad  iruths,  and  is  sustained  by 
arguments  that  no  candid  mind  can  resist  after  patiently 
considering  them." 
She  shook  her  head,  silenced  perhaps,  but  not  satisfied. 


*• 

CHAPTER  XLY. 

"PRAYER  is  MIGHTY."    CHRISTINE  A  CHRISTIAN. 

THE  day  was  now  declining,  and  the  fire  in  that  part  of 
the  city  opposite  them  had  so  spent  itself  that  they  were 
beginning  to  have  a  little  respite  from  immediate  danger. 
The  fiery  stoim  of  sparks  and  cinders  was  falling  mostly  to 
the  northward. 

Dennis  now  ventured  to  sit  down  almost  for  the  first 
time,  for  he  was  wearied  beyond  endurance.  The  tremen 
dous  danger  and  excitements,  and  the  consciousness  of 
peril  to  the  one  most  dear  to  himT  had  kept  him  alert  long 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  385 

after  lie  ought  to  have  had  rest,  but  overtaxed  nature  now 
asserted  its  rights,  and  the  moment  the  sharp  spur  of  dan 
ger  was  removed  he  was  overpowered  by  sleep. 

Christine  spoke  to  him  as  he  sat  near,  but  even  to  her  (a 
thing  he  could  not  have  imagined  possible)  he  returned  an 
incoherent  reply. 

"  My  poor  friend,  you  do  indeed  need  rest,"  said  she,  in 
kindest  accents. 

He  heard  her  voice  like  a  sweet  and  distant  harmony  in 
a  dream,  swayed  a  moment,  and  would  have  fallen  over  in 
utter  unconsciousness  on  the  sands,  had  she  not  glided  to 
his  side  and  caught  his  head  upon  her  lap. 

In  the  heavy  stupor  that  follows  the  utmost  exhaustion, 
Dennis  slept  hour  after  hour.  The  rest  of  the  day  was  a 
perfect  blank  to  him.  But  Christine,  partially  covering 
and  shading  his  face  with  th,e  edge  of  her  shawl,  bent  over 
him  as  patient  in  watching  as  he  had  been  brave  in  her  de 
liverance.  It  was*  beautiful  to  see  the  features  once  so  cold 
and  haughty,  now  sweet  with  more  than  womanly  tender 
ness.  There  upon  that  desolate  beach,  cold,  hungry,  home 
less,  shelterless,  she  was  happier  than  she  had  been  for 
months.  But  she  trembled  as  she  thought  of  the  future  ; 
everything  was  so  uncertain.  She  seemed  involved  in  a 
labyrinth  of  dangers  and  difficulties  from  which  she  could 
see  no  escape.  She  knew  that  both  store  and  home  had 
gone,  and  probably  most,  if  not  all,  of  her  father's  fortune. 
She  felt  that  these  losses  might  greatly  modify  his  plans, 
and  really  hoped  that  they  would  lead  him  to  remain  in 
this  country.  She  felt  almost  sure  that  he  would  not  go 
back  to  Germany  a  poor  man,  and  to  remain  in  America 
was  to  give  her  a  chance  of  happiness,  and  happiness  now 
meant  life  with  him  over  whom  she  bent.  For  a  long  time 
she  had  felt  that  she  could  give  up  all  the  world  for  him,  but 
now  existence  would  scarcely  be  endurable  without  him. 
In  proportion  to  the  slowness  with  which  her  love  had  been 
kindled  was  its  intensity, — the  steady,  concentrated  passion 


386  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

of  a  strong,  resolute  nature,  for  the  first  time  fully  aroused. 
All  indecision  passed  from  her  mind,  and  she  was  ready  to 
respond  whenever  he  should  speak  ;  but  woman's  silence 
sealed  her  lips,  and  more  than  maiden  delicacy  masked  her 
heart.  While  she  bent  over  him  with  an  expression  that, 
had  he  opened  his  eyes,  might  have  caused  him  to  imagine 
for  a  moment  that  his  sleep  had  been  death,  and  he  had 
wakened  in  heaven,  yet  he  must  needs  awake  to  find  that, 
the  look  and  manner  of  earth  had  returned.  Her  sensitive 
pride  made  her  guarded  even  in  expressing  her  gratitude, 
and  she  purposed  to  slip  his  head  off  upon  her  shawl  when 
ever  he  showed  signs  of  awakening,  so  that  he  might  be 
lieve  that  the  earth  only  had  been  his  resting-place. 

But  now  in  his  unconsciousness,  and  unnoted  by  all 
around,  indeed  more  completely  isolated  by  the  universal 
misery  and  apathy  about  her  than  she  cculd  have  been  in 
her  own  home,  with  a  delicious  sense  of  security,  she  bent, 
her  eyes  upon  him,  and  toyed  daintily  with  the  curling 
locks  on  his  brow.  Whatever  the  future  might  be,  noth 
ing  should  rob  her  of  the  strange,  unexpected  happiness  of 
this  opportunity  to  be  near  him,  purchased  at  such  cost. 

As  she  sat  there  and  saw  the  fire  rush  and  roar  away  to 
the  northward,  and  the  sun  decline  over  the  ruins  of  her 
earthly  fortune,  she  thought  more  deeply  and  earnestly  of 
life  than  ever  before.  The  long,  heavy  sleep  induced  by 
the  opiate  had  now  taken  away  all  sense  of  drowsiness,  and 
never  had  her  mind  been  clearer.  In  the  light  of  the  terri 
ble  conflagration  many  things  stood  out  with  a  distinctness 
that  impressed  her  as  nothing  had  ever  done  before. 
Wealth  and  rank  had  shrivelled  to  their  true  proportions, 
and  she  said,  half  aloud  :— 
f  "  That  which  can  vanish  in  a  night  in  flame  and  smoke 
N|  cannot  belong  to  us,  is  not  a  part  of  us.  All  that  has  come 
out  of  the  crucible  of  this  fire  is  my  character,  myself.  It 
is  the  same  with  Mr.  Fleet ;  but,  comparing  his  character 
with  mine,  how  much  richer  he  is  '  What  if  there  is  a 


BARRIERS  BURNER  AWAY.  387 

future  life,  and  we  enter  into  it  with  no  other  possession 
than  our  cnaracter  ?  and  that  which  is  called  soul  or  spirit 
is  driven  forth  from  earth  and  the  body  as  we  have  just 
been  from  our  wealth  and  homes  ?  I  can  no  longer  coolly 
and  contemptuously  ignore  as  superstition  what  he  be 
lieves.  He  is  not  superstitious,  but  calm,  fearless,  and 
seemingly  assured  of  something  that  as  yet  I  cannot  under 
stand.  One  would  think  that  there  must  be  reality  in  his 
belief,  for  it  sustains  him  and  others  in  the  greatest  of 
trials.  The  hymn  he  sang  was  like  a  magnet  introduced 
among  steel  filings  mingled  with  this  sand.  The  mere  earth 
cannot  move,  but  the  steel  is  instinct  with  life.  So,  while 
many  of  us  could  not  respond,  others  seemed  inspired  at 
the  name  of  Jesus  with  new  hope  and  courage,  and  cried 
to  the  Nazarene  as  if  He  could  hear  them.  "Why  don't 
people  cry  for  help  to  other  good  men  who  lived  in  the  dim 
past,  and  whose  lives  and  deeds  are  half  myth  and  half 
truth  ?  why  to  this  one  man  only  ?  for  educated  Catholics 
no  longer  pray  to  the  saints." 

Then  her  thoughts  reverted  to  Mr.  Ludolph. 

"  Poor  father  !"  said  she  ;  "  how  will  he  endure  these 
changes  ?  We  have  not  felt  and  acted  toward  each  other 
as  we  ought.  He  is  now  probably  anxious  beyond  meas 
ure,  fearing  that  I  perished  in  my  sleep,  and  so  I  should 
have  done,  had  it  not  been  for  this  more  than  friend  that  I 
have  so  wronged.  Oh,  that  I  could  make  amends  !  I 
wonder, — oh,  I  wonder  if  he  has  any  spark  of  love  left  for 
me  ?  He  seems  kind,  even  tender,  but  he  is  so  to  every 
one, — he  saved  Miss  Brown—" 

But  here  a  most  violent  interruption  took  place.  Chris 
tine,  in  the  complete  absorption  of  her  thoughts,  had  not 
noticed  that  a  group  of  rough  men  and  women  near  by, 
who  had  been  drinking  all  day,  had  now  become  intoxicat 
ed  and  violent.  They  were  pushing  and  staggering,  howl 
ing  and  fighting,  in  reckless  disregard  of  the  comfort  of 
others,  and  before  she  knew  it  she  was  in  the  midst  of  a 


388  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

drunken  brawl.  One  rough  fellow  struck  against  her,  and 
another  trod  on  Dennis,  who  started  up  with  a  cry  of  pain. 
In  a  moment  he  comprehended  the  situation,  and,  snatch 
ing  up  Christine  and  the  shawl,  he  pushed  his  way  out  of 
the  melee  with  his  right  arm,  the  wretches  striking  at  him 
and  one  another  aimlessly  in  their  fury  ;  while  both  mem 
and  women  used  language  that  was  worse  than  their  blows. 
After  a  brief  struggle,  Dennis  and  Christine  extricated 
themselves,  and  made  their  way  northward  up  the  beach 
till  they  found  a  place  where  the  people  seemed  quiet. 

Dennis's  sudden  awakening  had  revealed  to  him  that  his 
head  had  been  pillowed,  and  it  seemed  such  a  kind  and 
thoughtful  act  on  Christine's  part  that  he  could  scarcely 
believe  it ;  at  the  same  time  he  was  full  of  shame  and  self- 
reproach  that  by  his  sleep  he  had  left  her  unguarded,  and 
he  said  :  "  Miss  Ludolph,  I  hope  you  will  pardon  your 
recreant  knight,  who  slept  while  you  were  in  danger  ;  but 
really  I  could  not  help  it." 

"It  is  I  who  must  ask  pardon,"  replied  Christine,  warm 
ly.  "  After  your  superhuman  exertions,  your  very-life  de 
pended  on  rest.  But  I  made  a  wretched  watche», — indeed 
I  have  lost  confidence  in  myself  every  way.  fTo  tell  the 
truth,  Mr.  Fleet,  I  was  lost  in  thought,  and  with  your  per 
mission  I  would  like  to  ask  you  further  about  two  things 
'you  said  this  morning.  You  asserted  that  you  knew  God 
loved  you,  and  that  Christianity  was  sustained  by  argu- 
iments  that  no  candid  mind  could  resist.  What  are  those 
(arguments  ?  and  how  can  you  know  such  a  comforting 
'thing  as  the  love  of  God  ?" 

His  eyes  lighted  up  in  his  intense  delight  that  she  should 
again  voluntarily  recur  to  this  subject,  and  he  hoped  that 
God  was  leading  her  to  a  knowledge  of  Him,  and  that  he, 
in  answer  to  his  own  and  his  mother's  prayers,  might  be 
partially  instrumental  in  bringing  the  light.  Therefore  he 
said,  earnestly  :  "  Miss  Ludolph,  this  is  scarcely  the  time 
and  place  to  go  over  the  evi  lences  of  Christianity.  When 


BARRIEES  BURNED  AWAY.  389 

in  liappy  security  I  hope  you  may  do  this  at  your  leisure, 
and  am  sure  you  will  be  convinced,  for  I  believe  that  you 
honestly  wish  the  truth.  But  there  is  no  need  that  you 
should  wait  and  look  forward  into  the  uncertain  future  for 
this  priceless  knowledge.  The  father  will  not  keep  his 
child  waiting  who  tries  to  finSThTmr"  God  is  not  far  from 
anyone  of  us.  -  When  our  Lord  was  on  earth,  He  never 
repulsed  those  who  sought  Him  in  sincerity,  and  He  is  the 
true  manifestation  of  God. 

"Moreover,"  he  continued,  reverently,  "  God  is  now  on 
earth  as  truly  as  when  Christ  walked  the  waves  of  Galilee, 
or  stood  with  the  life-giving  word  upon  His  lips  at  the 
grave  of  His  friend  Lazarus.  The  mighty  Spirit  of  God 
now  dwells  among  men  to  persuade,  help,  and  lead  them 
into  all  truth,  and  I  believe  He  is  guiding  you.  This  Di 
vine  Spirit  can  act  as  directly  on  your  rnind  as  did  Christ's 
healing  hand  when  He  touched  blind  eyes  and  they  saw, 
and  palsied  bodies  and  they  sprung  into  joyous  activity." 

Underpins  eager,  earnest  words,  Christine's  eyes  also  light 
ed  up  with  hope,  but  after  a  moment  her  face  became  very 
sad,  and  l&e  said,  wearily,  "  Mystery  !  mystery  !  you  are 
speaking  a  language  that  I  do  not  understand." 

"  Can  you  not  understand  this :  '  For  God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso 
ever  belie veth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlast 
ing  life '  ?  and  that  the  Bible  tells  us  that  His  Son  did,  in 
very  truth,  die  that  we  might  live  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know  that  the  Bible  seems  to  teach  all  that, 
but  there  must  be  some  mistake  about  it.  Why  should 
an  all-powerful  God  take  such  a  costly,  indirect  way  of  ac 
complishing  His  purpose  when  a  word  would  suffice  ?" 

"  We  will  not  discuss  God's  reasons  ;  I  think  they  are 
beyond  us.  But  imagining  the  Bible  story  to  be  true,  even 
though  you  do  not  believe  it,  is  not  the  love  of  God  re 
vealed  to  us  through  His  son,  Jesus  Christ  ?" 

"  Yes,  it  is  the  very  extravagance  of  disinterested  love. 


390  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

So  much  so  that  my  reason  revolts  at  it.  It  is  contrary  to 
all  my  ideas  of  Deity  and  power." 

"  Pardon  me,  Miss  Ludolph,  for  saying  it,  but  I  think 
your  ideas  of  Deity  are  borrowed  more  from  mythology 
and  human  greatness  than  from  the  Bible.  Let  your  rea 
son  stand  aside  a  moment ;  this  is  not  contrary  to  it,  but 
beyond  it.  Imagining  the  Bible  story  true,  can  you  not 
wish  it  true  ?  If  the  man  who  died  on  Calvary  out  of  love 
for  you  and  for  us  all  is  also  God,  would  you  fear  to  trust 
yourself  to  Him  ?  Could  you  distrust  One  who  loved  you 
well  enough  to  die  for  you  ?" 

"No  !  no,  indeed  !  if  I  only  could  believe  it,  no  !  But 
how  can  I  ever  be  sure  it  is  true  ?  I  am  sure  of  nothing. 
I  am  not  sure  there  is  a  God.  I  am  not  sure  the  Bible  is 
more  than  human  in  its  character.  I  feel  as  if  my  feet  stood 
out  upon  those  shifting  waves,  and  as  if  there  were  nothing 
certain  or  stable." 

''  But  in  part  you  know  the  truth,  Miss  Ludolph,  though 
you  do  not  believe  it,  and  I  believe  that  the  God  of  whom 
we  have  spoken  can  directly  reveal  Himself  to  you  and  make 
His  truth  as  real  to  you  as  it  is  to  me." 

"Mr.  Fleet,"  cried  Christine,  "if  I  could  believe  as  you 
do,  I  should  be  the  happiest  of  the  happy,  for  I  should  feel 
that,  however  much  I  suffered  in  this  brief  life,  in  the  exist 
ence  beyond  I  should  be  more  than  compensated  ;"  and 
covering  her  tearful  face  with  her  hands  she  moaned,  as  if 
it  were  wrung  from  her,  "  I  have  suffered  so  much,  and 
there  seemed  no  remedy  !" 

Dennis's  feelings  were  also  deeply  touched,  and  the  dew 
of  sympathy  gathered  in  his  own  eyes.  In  the  gentlest 
accents  he  said,  "  Oh  that  you  could  trust  that  merciful, 
mighty  One  who  invites  all  the  heavy  laden  to  come  to 
Him  for  rest !" 

She  looked  up  and  saw  his  sympathy,  and  was  greatly 
moved.  In  faltering  tones  she  said  :  "  You  feel  for  me. 
Mr.  Fleet.  You  do  not  condemn  me  in  rny  blindness  and 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  391 

unbelief.  I  cannot  trust  Him,  because  I  am  not  sure  He 
exists.  If  there  was  such  a  God  I  would  gladly  devote  my 
whole  being  to  Him  ;  but  I  trust  you,  and  will  do  anything 
you  say." 

"  Will  you  kneel  on  these  sands  with  me  in  prayer  to 
Him  ?"  he  asked,  earnestly. 

She  hesitated;  trembled,  but  at  last  said,  "  Yes." 

He  took  her  hand  as  if  they  were  brother  and  sister,  and 
they  knelt  together  on  the  desolate  beach.  The  glow  of 
sunset  was  lost  in  the  redder  glow  of  the  fire  that  smoul 
dered  all  over  the  ruins,  and  still  raged  in  the  northwest, 
and  the  smoke  and  gathering  gloom  involved  them  in  ob 
scurity. 

Though  the  weary,  apathetic  fugitives  regarded  them 
not,  we  believe  that  angelic  forms  gathered  round,  and  that 
the  heart  of  the  Divine  Father  yearned  toward  His  children. 

When  they  rose,  after  a  simple  prayer  from  Dennis,  in 
which  he  pleaded  almost  as  a  child  might  with  an  earthly 
father,  Christine  trembled  like  a  leaf,  and  was  very  pale, 
but  her  face  grew  tearless,  quiet,  and  very  sad.  Dennis 
still  held  her  hand  in  the  warm,  strong  grasp  of  sympathy. 
Gently  she  withdrew  it,  and  said,  in  a  low,  despairing 
tone  :  "  It  is  all  in  vain.  There  is  no  answer.  Your  voice 
has  been  lost  in  the  winds  and  waves." 

"  AVait  the  King's  time,"  said  he,  reverently. 

"  You  addressed  him  as  Father.  Would  a  good  father 
keep  his  child  waiting  ?" 

"  Yes,  sometimes  He  does  ;  He  is  also  King." 

After  a  moment  she  turned  to  him  the  saddest  face  he 
ever  looked  upon,  and  said,  gently,  again  giving  him  her 
hand,  "  Mr.  Fleet,  you  have  done  your  best  for  me,  and  I 
thank  you  all  the  same. ' ' 

He  was  obliged  to  turn  away  to  hide  his  feelings.  Si 
lently  they  again  sat  down  on  the  beach  together.  Weari 
ness  and  something  like  despair  began  to  tell  on  Christine, 
and  Dennis  trembled  when  lie  thought  of  the  long  night  of 


392 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


exposure  before  her.  He  bent  his  face  into  his  hands  and 
prayed  as  he  had  never  prayed  before.  She  looked  at  him 
wistfully,  and  knew  he  was  pleading  for  her  ;  but  she  now 
believed  it  was  all  in  vain.  The  feeling  grew  upon  her 
that  belief  or  unbelief  was  a  matter  of  education  and  tem 
perament,  and  that  the-  feelings  of  which  Dennis  spoke 
were  but  the  deceptive  emotions  of  our  agitated  hearts. 
To  that  degree  that  the  Divine  love  seemed  visionary  and 
hopeless,  she  longed  for  him  to  speak  of  his  own,  if  in 
truth  it  still  existed,  that  she  could  understand  and  believe 
in.  If  during  what  remained  of  life  she  could  only  drink 
the  sweetness  of  that,  she  felt  it  was  the  best  she  could 
hope  for — and  then  the  blank  of  nothingness. 

But  he  prayed  on,  and  with  something  of  his  mother's 
faith  seemed  at  last,  as  it  were,  in  the  personal  presence  of 
Christ.  With  an  importunity  that  would  not  be  denied, 
he  entreated  for  her  who  despaired  at  his  side. 

At  last,  putting  her  hand  lightly  on  his  arm,  she  said  : 
"  Mr.  Fleet,  waste  no  more  time  on  me.  From  the  groans 
I  hear,  some  poor  woman  is  sick  or  hurt.  Perhaps  you  can 
do  some  real  good  by  seeing  to  her  needs." 

He  rose  quietly,  feeling  that  hi  some  way  God  would  an 
swer,  and  that  he  must  patiently  wait. 

Going  up  the  beach  a  short  distance  he  found  a  German 
woman  lying  just  on  the  edge  of  the  water.  In  answer  to 
his  questions,  he  learned  from  her  broken  English  that  she 
was  sick  and  in  pain.  A  sudden  thought  struck  him.  In 
seeking  to  help  another,  might  not  Christine  find  help^herself, 
and  in  the  performance  of  a  good  deed,  might  not  the  Au 
thor  of  all  good  reveal  Himself  ?  Returning  to  her,  he 
said  :  "  Miss  Ludolph,  the  poor  woman  you  have  heard  is 
sick  and  alone.  She  is  German,  and  you  can  speak  to  her 
and  comfort  her  as  only  a  woman  can. ' ' 

Christine  went  at  once,  though  with  little  confidence  in 
her  powers.  Indeed  it  was,  perhaps,  the  first  visit  of 
charity  and  mercy  she  had  ever  made.  But  she  would 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  393 

have  done  anything  he  asked,  and  determined  to  do  her 
best.  She  helped  the  poor  creature  farther  up  from  the 
water,  and  then,  taking  her  hands,  spoke  to  her  soothingly 
and  gently  in  her  native  tongue. 

"  Heaven  and  all  the  angels  bless  your  sweet  face  for  tak 
ing  pity  on  a  poor  lone  body,  and  so  they  will  too,"  is  the 
free  rendering  of  her  grateful-  German. 

"  Would  you  please  say  a  little  prayer  for  a  lone,  sick 
body  ?"  she  asked,  after  a  little  while. 

Christine  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  thought :  "  Why 
not  ?  if  it  will  be  of  any  comfort  to  the  podr  thing.  It  can 
do  neither  of  us  harm." 

Dennis  saw  her  kneel  at  the  woman's  side,  lift  her  white 
face  to  heaven,  and  her  lips  move.  Her  attitude  was  un 
mistakably  that  of  prayer.  He  could  scarcely  believe  his 
eyes. 

Her  petition  was  brief  and  characteristic  :  "O  God,— if 
there  is  a  God, — help  this  poor  creature  1" 

Then  Dennis  saw  her  start  up  and  glance  around  hi  a 
strange,  bewildered  manner.  Suddenly  she  clasped  her 
hands  and  looked  up  with  an  ecstatic,  thrilling  cry  : 
"^Cherejis  !  there  is  !  God  lives  and  loves  me,  I  feel,  I 
know,  and  therefore  I  may  hope  and  live."  Turning  to 
the  still  raging  flames,  she  exclaimed  :  "  Burn  on  with  your 
fiery  billows,  I  do  not  fear  you  now  !  I  am  safe,  safe  for 
ever  !  Oh,  how  can  I  ever  love  and  praise  Thee  enough  !" 

Then,  springing  to  Dennis's  side,  she  took  both  his  hands 
in  hers,  and  said  :  "  Mr.  Fleet,  you  have  saved  my  life 
again  and  again,  and  I  am,  oh,  how  grateful  !  but  in  lead 
ing  me  to  this  knowledge  you  have  made  me  your  debtor 
for  evermore.  .God  does  live,  and  I  believe  now  He  loves 
-eyen  me." 

As  the  glare  of  the  fire  fell  on  her  face,  he  was  awed  and 
speechless  at  its  expression.  From  its  ecstatic  joy  and 
purity  it  seemed  that  the  light  of  heaven,  instead  of  her 
burning  home,  was  illumining  it 


394  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

At  last  he  said,  brokenly,  "  Thank  God  !  thank  God  .  my 
many,  many  prayers  are  answered  !" 

The  look  of  love  and  gratitude  she  gave  him  -will  only 
find  its  counterpart  in  heaven,  when  the  saved  beam  upon 
those  who  led  them  to  the  Saviour.  The  whole  of  her 
strong  womanly  soul,  thoroughly  aroused,  was  in  her  face, 
and  it  shone  like  that  of  an  angel. 

To  Dennis,  with  the  force  of  fulfilled  prophecy,  recurred 
his  mother's  words,  and  unconsciously  he  spoke  them 
aloud  : 

"  PRAYER  is  MIGHTY." 


CHAPTER  XL VI. 
CHRISTINE'S  GRAVE. 

AFTER  a  moment  Christine  returned  to  her  charge  and 
said,  gently,  "  I  think  I  can  take  better  care  of  you  now." 

The  poor  woman  looked  at  her  in  a  bewildered  way,  half 
fearing  she  had  lost  her  senses.  But  there  was  that  in 
Christine's  tone  and  manner  now  that  went  like  sunlight 
and  warmth  to  the  heart,  and  in  broadest  German  the 
grateful  creature  was  soon  blessing  her  again  and  again, 
and  Christine  felt  that  she  was  blessed  beyond  even  her 
wildest  dreams. 

Dennis  now  felt  that  she  must  have  food  and  rest.  She 
appeared,  in  the  ghostly  light  of  the  distant  flames,  so  pale 
and  spirit-like,  that  he  almost  feared  she  would  slip  away 
to  heaven  at  once,  and  he  began  looking  for  some  one 
stronger,  older,  and  more  suitable,  to  take  her  place.  At  a 
little  distance  farther  north  he  at  last  found  a  stout  German 
woman  sitting  with  her  two  children  on  a  large  feather  bed, 
the  sole  relic  of  her  household  goods.  Dennis  acquainted 
her  with  the  case,  and  she  soon  took  the  matter  out  of  his 
and  Christine's  hands  in  a  very  satisfactory  way. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  395 

To  the  south  and  west  opportunity  of  escape  was  utterly 
cut  off  ;  eastward  were  Hie  waters  of  the  lake,  so  that  their 
only  chance  was  to  push  northward.  After  making  their 
way  slowly  for  a  short  distance  among  the  thickly  scat 
tered  groups  and  the  varied  articles  that  had  been  dragged 
to  the  shore  for  safety,  Dennis  thought  he  heard  a  familiar 
voice. 

"  Dr.  Arten  !"  he  cried. 

"  Hallo  !  who  wants  me  ?"  answered  the  good  old  phy 
sician,  bustling  up  in  rather  incongruous  costume,  con 
sisting  of  a  dress  coat,  white  vest,  red  flannel  drawers, 
and  a  very  soiled  pair  of  slippers. 

"  O  doctor  !  the  very  sight  of  you  inspires  hope  and 
courage." 

"  Surely  a  young  fellow  like  you  can  be  in  no  want  of 
those  articles?" 

"  If  he  is  lacking,"  cried  Christine,  "  it  must  be  for  the 
reason  that  he  has  given  hope  and  courage  to  every  one  he 
has  met,  and  so  has  robbed  himself." 

"  Heigho  !"  exclaimed  the  doctor,  "  you  here  ?" 

"  Yes,  thanks  to  the  heroism  of  Mr.  Fleet." 

' '  Fleet,  is  that  all  you  have  saved  from  the  fire  ?"  asked 
the  doctor,  with  a  humorous  twinkle,  pointing  to  Chris 
tine. 

"  I  am  well  satisfied,"  said  Dennis,  quietly,  but  with 
rising  color. 

"  I  should  have  perished,  had  not  Mr.  Fleet  come  to  my 
rescue,"  continued  Christine,  warmly,  glad  of  an  oppor 
tunity  to  express  a  little  of  her  gratitude. 

The  doctor  turned  his  genial,  humorous  eye  on  her  and 
said  :  "  Don't  be  too  grateful,  Miss  Ludolph  ;  he  is  a 
young  man,  and  only  did  his  duty.  Now  if  I  had  been  so 
fortunate  you  might,  have  been  as  grateful  as  you  pleased. " 

It  was  Christine's  turn  to  grow  rather  rosier  than  even 
the  red  fire  warranted,  but  she  said,  "  You  would  hav« 
your  joke,  doctor,  if  the  world  were  burning  up." 


396  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"  Yes,  and  after  it  burned  up,"  he  replied.  "  What  do 
you  think  of  that,  Miss  Ludolph,  with  your  German  scep 
ticism  ?" 

Tears  came  in  Christine's  eyes,  and  she  said,  in  a  low 
tone,  "  I  am  glad  to  say  that  I  have  lost  my  German  scep 
ticism  in  the  fire  also." 

"  What  !"  cried  the  doctor,  seizing  both  her  hands  in  his 
hearty  way.  ' '  Will  you  accept  of  our  Christian  super 
stition  ?" 

"  I  think  I  have  accepted  your  glorious  Christian  truth, 
and  the  thought  makes  me  very  happy." 

"  Well,  now  I  can  almost  say,  Praise  God  for  the  fire, 
though  old  Dr.  Arten  must  commence  agam  ^wiiere  the 
youngsters  are  who  kick  up  their  heels  in  their  office  all 
day." 

With  professional  instinct  he  slipped  his  finger  on  Chris 
tine's  pulse,  then  rummaged  in  his  pocket  and  soon  drew 
out  some  powders,  and  in  his  brusque  way  made  her  take 
one. 

"  Oh,  how  bitter  !"  she  exclaimed. 

"  That  is  the  way  the  ladies  treat  me,"  began  the  merry 
bachelor  :  "  not  an  ounce  of  gratitude  when  I  save  their 
lives.  But  let  a  young  fellow  like  Fleet  come  along  and 
get  them  out  of  danger  by  mere  brute  strength,  instead  of 
my  delicate,  skilful  way,  and  language  breaks  down  with 
their  thanks.  Very  well,  I  shall  have  compensation, — 
I  shall  present  my  bill  before  long.  And  now,  young 
man,  since  you  have  set  out  to  rescue  my  little  friend  here, 
you  had  better  carry  the  matter  through,  for  several  reasons 
which  I  need  not  urge.  Your  best  chance  is  to  make  your 
way  northward,  and  then  continue  around  to  the  west, 
where  you  can  find  food  and  shelter  ;"  and  with  a  hearty 
grasp  of  the  hand,  the  brave,  genial  old  man  wished  them 
"  God  speed  !" 

Dennis  told  him  of  the  poor  German  woman,  and  then 
pushed  on  in  the  direction  indicated.  But  Christine  was 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT.  397 

growing  weak  and  exhausted.  At  last  they  reached  the 
Catholic  cemetery.  It  was  crowded  with  fugitives,  and 
the  fire  to  the  northwest  still  cut  off  all  escape,  even  if 
Christine's  strength  had  permitted  further  exertion.  It 
was  now  approaching  midnight,  and  she  said,  wearily  : 
"  Mr.  Fleet,  I  am  very  sorry,  but  I  fear  I  cannot  take  an 
other  step.  The  powder  Dr.  Arten  gave  me  strengthened 
me  for  a  time,  but  its  effect  is  passing  away,  and  I  feel 
almost  paralyzed  with  fatigue.  I  am  not  afraid  to  stay 
here,  or  indeed  anywhere  now." 

"  It  seems  a  very  hard  necessity  that  you  should  have  to 
remain  in  such  a  place,  Miss  Ludolph,  but  I  see  no  help 
for  it.  We  are  certainly  as  well  off  as  thousands  of  others, 
and  so  I  suppose  ought  not  to  complain." 

"  I  feel  as  if  I  could  never  complain  again,  Mr.  Fleet 
I  only  hope  my  father  is  as  safe  and  as  well  as  we  are. 
I  cannot  tell  you  how  my  heart  goes  out  toward  him  now 
that  I  see  everything  in  a  different  light.  I  have  not  been 
a  true  daughter,  -and  I  do  long  to  make  amends.  He 
surely  has  escaped,  don't  you  think  ?" 

"  Mr.  Ludolph  was  possessed  of  unusual  sagacity  and 
prudence,"  said  Dennis,  evasively.  "What  any  man  v 
could  do,  he  could.  And  now,  Miss  Ludolph,  I  will  try 
to  find  you  a  resting-place.  There  are  such  crowds  here 
that  I  think  we  had  better  £O  nearer  that  side,  where  early 
in  the  evening  the  fire  drove  people  away." 

The  cemetery  had  not  been  used  of  late  years,  and  many 
of  the  bodies  had  been  removed.  This  caused  excavations 
here  and  there,  and  one  of  these  from  which  the  gathered 
leaves  and  grass  had  been  burned.  Dennis  thought  might 
answer  for  Christine's  couch,  as  in  the  hollow  of  this  vacant 
and  nearly  filled  grave  she  would  be  quite  sheltered  from 
the  wind,  and  the  sand  was  still  warm  from  the  effects  of 
the  fire.  To  his  surprise  she  made  no  objection. 

"  I  am  so  weary  that  I  can  rest  anywhere."  she  said,  I 
"  and  a  grave  is  not  to  me  what  it  was  once." 


398  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

He  arranged  her  shawl  so  that  it  might  be  mattress, 
pillow,  and  covering,  and  wrapped  her  up. 

"  And  how  will  you  endure  the  long  cold  hours,  my 
friend  ?"  she  asked,  looking  up  most  sympathetically. 

"  Thanks  to  your  kindness,  I  had  such  a  good  sleep  this 
afternoon  that  I  feel  strong  and  rested,"  he  replied,  with 
a  smile. 

"  I  fear  you  say  so  to  put  my  mind  at  rest ;"  but  even 
as  she  spoke  her  eyes  closed  and  she  went  to  sleep  like  a 
tired  and  trusting  child.  As  with  Dennis  a  few  hours 
before,  the  limit  of  nature's  endurance  bad  been  reached, 
and  the  wealthy,  high-born  Miss  Ludclph,  who  on  Sabbath 
night  had  slept  in  the  midst  of  artistic  elegance  and  luxury, 
now,  on  Monday  night,  rested  in  a  vacant  grave  under  the 
open  and  storm -gathering  sky.  Soon— to  be  accurate,  at 
two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Tuesday — rain  began  to 
fall.  But,  with  all  the  discomfort  it  brought,  never  had 
rain  been  more  welcome. 

Christine  shivered  in  her  sleep,  and  Dennis  looked  around 
vainly  for  some  additional  covering.  The  thronging  fugi 
tives  were  all  in  a  similar  plight,  and  their  only  course 
was  simply  to  endure  till  some  path  of  escape  opened. 

The  night  was  indeed  a  long  one  to  him.  At  first  excite 
ment  and  happiness  kept  him  awake  and  unconscious  of 
time  and  discomfort.  But  he  soon  felt  how  weary  and 
hungry  he  was,  for  he  had  eaten  nothing  since  his  slight 
supper  on  Sabbath  evening.  The  heat  of  the  fire  percep 
tibly  lessened  as  the  rain  began  falling,  and  without  his 
coat  Dennis  was  soon  chilled  to  the  bone.  On  every  side 
he  heard  moans  of  discomfort,  and  he  knew  that  he  had 
far  more  reason  to  endure  patiently  than  many  near  him. 
He  tried  to  keep  himself  warm  by  walking  around,  but  at 
last  he  grew  too  weary  for  that,  and  sat,  a  patient,  cower 
ing  watcher,  at  the  head  of  Christine's  weird  couch,  listen 
ing  sadly  at  times  to  the  pitiful  crying  of  little  children 
and  the  sighs  and  groans  of  oldor  sufferers. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  399 

At  last  the  light  of  welcome  day  streaked  the  eastern 
horizon,  and  Christine  opened  her  eyes  in  a  bewildered/ 
way,  but,  on  seeing  him  swaying  backward  and  forward! 
with  half -closed  eyes,  sprung  up  and  said,  "  And  have  you] 
sat  and  watched  there  all  the  long  night  ?" 

"  I  hope  you  feel  rested  and  bettor,  Miss  Ludolph,"  he 
replied,  startled  from  drowsiness  by  her  voice. 

"  It  has  been  raining,  too.  I  fear  you  are  wet  through. 
Oh,  how  much  you  must  have  suffered  on  my  account !" 

"  I  imagine  you  are  as  wet  as  1  am,  Miss  Ludolph. 
This  has  been  a  very  democratic  experience  for  you.  We 
are  all  about  alike  in  this  strange  camping-ground." 

"  No  ;  your  kindness  made  me  quite  comfortable.  In 
deed,  I  never  slept  better.  And  you,  without  any  coat  or 
shelter,  have  watched  patiently  hour  after  hour." 

"  Well,  you  did  as  much  for  me  yesterday  afternoon,  so? 
we  are  quits." 

"I  think  there  is  a  great  difference,"  she  said.  "  And 
•emember  what  a  watcher  I  made  ;  I  let  those  drunken 
creatures  run  over  you." 

"I  don't  see  how  you  could  have  helped  it,"  said  he, 
laughing.  "  That  you  should  ha^e  cared  for  me  as  you 
did  was  a  favor  that  I  never  expected, "  he  added,  blushing. 

She  blushed  too,  but  made  no  reply  ;  at  the  same  time 
she  was  vexed  with  herself  that  she  did  not.  Deimis,  with 
a  lover's  blindness,  misunderstood  her  silence,  and  thought 
that,  as  a  friend,  she  was  more  grateful  than  he  could  wish, 
but  he  must  speak  in  no  other  character. 

Then  he  remembered  that  it  would  be  dishonorable  to 
urge  his  suit  under  the  circumstances  ;  it  would  be  a  source 
of  inexpressible  pain  to  her,  with  her  strong  sense  of  obliga 
tion,  to  put  aside  expressions  of  his  deeper  regard,  and  he  re 
solved  to  avoid  if  possible  any  manifestations  of  his  feelings. 
While  she  was  dependent  upon  him  he  would  act  the  part 
of  a  brother  toward  her,  and  if  his  human  love  could  never 
find  its  consummation,  he  would  bear  his  loss  as  patiently 


400 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 


as  possible.  But  in  spite  of  himself  a  tinge  of  sadness  and 
restraint  came  into  his  manner,  and  Christine  sighed  to 
herself,  "  If  Tie  only  knew,  and  I  only  knew,  just  the  truth, 
how  much  happier  we  might  be  !" 

There  was  a  general  movement  now  in  the  strangely  as 
sorted  multitude.  The  fire  had  swept  everything  away  so 
completely  on  the  north  side  that  there  were  not  hot  blazing 
ruins  to  prevent  crossing.  Accordingly  men  came  pouring 
over,  looking  for  their  families.  On  every  side  were  cries 
of  joy  on  recognition  of  those  whom  fear  and  terrible  fore 
bodings  had  buried  under  the  blackened  remains  of  once 
happy  homes.  But  mingled  with  exclamations  of  joy  were 
sobs  and  wails  of  anguish,  as  some  now  realized  in  the 
lapsing  hours  that  absent  members  of  the  household  were 
lost. 

Christine  looked  in  vain  for  her  father  ;  at  last  Dennis 
said  :  "  Miss  Ludolph,  do  you  feel  equal  to  the  effort  of 
crossing  to  the  west  side  ?  You  must  be  faint  with  hunger, 
and  there  only  can  we  hope  for  help." 

"  Oh,  yes  !  let  us  go  at  once,  for  your  sake  as  well  as 
mine  ;•"  for  she  saw  that  his  long  fasting  and  great  fatigue 
had  made  him  very  haggard. 

They  urged  their  way  across  the  burned  district  as  fast 
as  their  exhausted  state  would  permit,  carefully  avoiding 
burning  brands  that  still  lay  in  the  street. 

"  I  hope  you  will  have  patience  with  me  in  my  slow 
progress,"  said  Christine,  "for  I  feel  as  I  imagine  Rip 
Van  Winkle  must  have  done,  after  his  twenty  years'  nap." 

"  I  think  you  have  borne  up  heroically,  Miss  Ludolph," 
said  Dennis,  warmly. 

"  Oh,  no  !  I  am  not  in  the  least  heroic,  but  I  confess 
that  I  am  very  hungry.  I  never  knew  what  hunger  was 
before.  Well,  I  can  now  appreciate  what  must  often  be 
the  condition  of  the  poor,  and  hope  not  to  be  so  forgetful 
of  them  hereafter. ' ' 

I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that  you  are  hungry,  Miss 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  401 

Ludolph,  for  it  proves  that  with  care  you  will  rally  after 
this  dreadful  exposure,  and  be  your  former  self." 

"  Ah  !  Mr.  Fleet,  I  hope  I  shall  never  be  my  old  self 
again.  I  shudder  when  I  think  what  I  was  when  you 
awakened  me  that  dreadful  night." 

"  But  I  have  feared,"  said  he,  ever  avoiding  any  refer 
ence  to  his  own  services,  "  that,  though  you  might  escape 
the  fire,  the  exposure  would  be  greater  than  you  could 
endure.  I  trembled  for  you  last  night  when  it  began  to 
rain,  but  could  find  no  additional  covering." 

"  No  brother  could  be  kinder  or  more  thoughtful  of  me," 
she  said,  turning  upon  him  a  glad,  grateful  face. 

"  That  is  it,"  thought  Dennis.  "  She  hints  to  me  what 
must  be  our  relationship.  She  is  the  Baroness  Ludolph, 
and  is  pledged  to  a  future  that  I  cannot  share." 

But  as  he  saw  her  gratitude,  he  resolved  all  the  more 
resolutely  not  to  put  it  to  the  hard  test  of  refusing  his 
love.  A  little  later  he  unconsciously  sighed  wearily,  and 
she  looked  at  him  wistfully. 

"  Oh  that  I  knew  if  he  felt  toward  me  as  he  once  did  !" 
she  said  to  herself. 

They  now  reached  the  unscathed  streets  of  the  west  side, 
which  were  already  thronged  with  fugitives  as  hungry 
and  gaunt  as  themselves.  Mingling  with  this  great  strange 
tide  of  weak,  begrimed,  hollow-eyed  humanity,  they  at  last 
reached  Dr.  Goodwin's  beautiful  church.  Here  already 
had  begun  the  noble  charity  dispensed  from  that  place 
during  the  days  of  want  and  suffering  that  followed. 


CHAPTER  XL VII. 

SUSIE   WINTHKOP. 

WAITING  with  multitudes  of  others,  Christine  and  Den 
nis  at   last   received  an   army  biscuit  (hard -tack    in   the 


402  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

soldier's  vernacular)  and  a  tin-cup  of  what  resemulul 
coffee.  To  him  it  was  very  touching  to  see  how  eagerly- 
she  received  this  coarse  fare,  proving  that  she  was  indeed 
almost  famished.  Too  weak  to  stand,  they  sat  down  near 
the  door  on  the  sidewalk.  A  kind  lady  presently  came  and 
said,  "  If  you  have  no  place  to  go  you  will  find  it  more 
comfortable  in  the  church." 

They  gladly  availed  themselves  of  her  permission,  as 
the  thronged  street  was  anything  but  pleasant. 

"  Mr.  Fleet,"  said  Christine,  "I  am  now  going  to  take 
care  of  you  in  return  for  your  care  last  night,"  and  she  led 
him  up  to  a  secluded  part  of  the  church  by  the  organ, 
arranged  some  cushions  on  a  seat,  and  then  continued  : 
"  As  I  have  obeyed  you,  so  you  must  now  be  equally 
docile.  Don't  you  dare  move  from  that  place  till  I  call 
you  ;"  and  she  left  him. 

He  was  indeed  wearied  beyond  expression,  and  most 
grateful  for  a  chance  to  rest.  This  refuge  and  the  way  it 
was  secured  seemed  almost  a  heavenly  experience,  and  he 
thought  with  deepest  longing,  "  If  we  could  always  take 
care  of  each  other,  I  should  be  perhaps  too  well  satisfied 
with  this  earthly  life." 

When  after  a  little  time  Christine  returned  he  was  sleep 
ing  as  heavily  as  he  had  done  before  upon  the  beach,  but 
the  smile  his  last  thought  occasioned  still  rested  on  his 
face.  For  some  little  time  she  also  sat  near  and  rested, 
and  her  eyes  sought  his  face  as  if  a  story  were  written  there 
that  she  never  could  finish.  Then  she  went  to  make  in 
quiries  after  her  father.  But  no  one  to  whom  she  spoke 
knew  anything  about  him. 

Bread  and  other  provisions  were  constantly  arriving,  but 
not  fast  enough  to  meet  the  needs  of  famishing  thousands. 
Though  not  feeling  very  strong  she  offered  her  services, 
and,  was  soon  busily  engaged.  All  present  were  strangers 
to  her,  but,  when  they  learned  from  the  inquiries  for  her 
father  that  she  was  Miss  Ludolph,  she  was  treated  with 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  403 

deference  and  sympathy.  But  she  assumed  nothing,  and 
as  her  strength  permitted,  during  the  day,  she  was  ready 
for  any  task,  even  the  humblest.  She  handed  food  around 
among  the  hungry,  eager  applicants,  with  such  a  sweet 
and  pitying  face  that  she  heard  many  a  murmured  blessing. 
Her  efforts  were  all  the  more  appreciated  as  all  saw  that  / 
she  too  had  passed  through  'the  fire  and  had  suffered  • 
deeply.  At  last  a  kind,  motherly  lady  said  :  "  My  dear, 
you  look  ready  to  drop.  Here,  take  this,"  and  she  poured 
out  a  glass  of  wine  and  gave  her  a  sandwich  ;  "  now,  go 
and  find  some  quiet  nook  and  rest.  It's  your  duty." 

"  I  have  a  friend  who  has  suffered  almost  everything  in 
saving  me.  He  is  asleep  now,  but  he  has  had  scarcely 
anything  to  eat  for  nearly  three  days,  and  I  know  he  will 
be  very  hungry  when  he  wakes." 

"  Nothing  to  eat  for  three  days  !  Why,  you  must  take 
him  a  whole  loaf,  and  this,  and  this,"  cried  the  good  lady, 
about  to  provision  Dennis  for  a  month. 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  Christine,  with  a  smile,  "  so  much  would 
not  be  good  for  him.  If  you  will  give  me  three  or  four 
sandwiches,  and  let  me  come  for  some  coffee  when  he 
wakes,  it  will  be  sufficient ;"  and  she  carried  what  now 
seemed  treasures  to  where  Dennis  was  sleeping,  and  sat 
down  with  a  happy  look  in  her  face. 

The  day  had  been  full  of  sweet,  trustful  thoughts.  She 
was  conscious  of  a  presence  within  her  heart  and  all  around 
that  she  knew  was  Divine,  and  in  spite  of  her  anxiety 
about  her  father  and  the  uncertainty  of  the  future,  she  had 
a  rest  and  contentment  of  mind  that  she  had  never  expej>7 
enced  before.  Then  she  felt  such  a  genuine  sympathy  for 
the  sufferers  about  her,  and  found  them  so  grateful  when 
she  spoke  to  them  gently  and  kindly,  that  she  wondered 
she  had  never  before  discovered  the_4ovpf  ministering  *Q. 
otfeets.  She  was  entering  a  new  world\^MrtEougli  there 
might  be  suffering  in  it,  the  antidote  was  ever  near,  and 
the  pleasures  promised  to  grow  richer,  fuller,  more  satisfy- 


iy 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

ing,  till  they  developed  into  the  perfect  happiness  of 
heaven.  But  every  Christian  joy  that  was  like  a  sweet 
surprise, —every  thrilling  hope  that  pointed  to  endless 
progress  in  all  that  is  best  and  noblest  in  life,  instead  of 
the  sudden  blank  and  nothingness  that  threatened  but 
yesterday,— and,  above  all,  the  animating  consciousness  of 
the  Divine  love  which  kept  her  murmuring,  "  My  Saviour, 
my  good,  kind  Heavenly  Father,"  all  reminded  her  of  him 
who  had  been  instrumental  in  bringing  about  the  wondrous 
change.  Often  during  the  day  she  would  go  and  look  at 
him,  and  could  Dennis  only  have  opened  his  eyes  at  such 
a  moment,  and  caught  her  expression,  no  words  would 
have  been  needed  to  assure  him  of  his  happiness. 

The  low  afternoon  sun  shone  in  gold  and  crimson  on  his 
brow  and  face  through  the  stained  windows  before  he 
gave  signs  of  waking,  and  then  she  hurried  away  to  get 
the  coffee  hot  from  the  urn. 

She  had  hardly  gone  before  he  arose  greatly  refreshed 
and  strengthened,  but  so  famished  that  a  roast  ox  would 
have  seemed  but  a  comfortable  meal.  His  eye  at  once 
caught  the  sandwiches  placed  temptingly  near. 

"  That  is  Miss  Ludolph's  work,"  he  said  ;  "I  wonder  if 
she  has  saved  any  for  herself."  He  was  about  to  go  and 
seek  her  when  she  met  him  with  the  coffee. 

"  Go  back,"  she  said  ;  "  how  dare  you  disobey  orders  ? 

"  I  was  coming  to  find  you." 

"Well,  that  is  the  best  excuse  you  could  have  made, 
but  I  am  here  ;  so  sit  down  and  drink  this  coffee  and  de 
vour  these  sandwiches." 

"  Not  unless  you  share  them  with  me." 

"  Insubordinate  !  See  here,"  and  she  took  out  her  more 
dainty  provision  from  behind  a  seat  and  sat  down  oppo 
site,  in  such  a  pretty,  companionable  way  that  he  in  his 
admiration  and  pleasure  forgot  his  sandwiches. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  she  asked.  "You  are  to  eat 
the  sandwiches,  not  me." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  405 


"  A  very  proper  hint,  Miss  Ludolph  ;  one  might  well  be 
inclined  to  make  the  mistake." 

"  Now  that  is  a  compliment  worthy  of  the  king  of  the 
Cannibal  Islands." 

"  Miss  Ludolph,"  said  Dennis,  looking  at  her  earnestly, 
"  you  do  indeed  seem  happy." 

A  ray  of  light  slanting  through  a  yellow  diamond  of 
glass  fell  with  a  sudden  glory  upon  her  face,  and  in  a  tone 
of  almost  ecstasy  she  said  :  "  Oh,  I  am  so  glad  and  grate 
ful,  when  I  realize  what  might  have  been,  and  what  is  ! 
It  seems  that  I  have  lost  so  little  in  this  fire  in  comparison 
with  what  I  have  gained.  And  but  for  you  I  might  have 
lost  everything.  How  rich  this  first  day  of  life,  real,  true 
life,  has  been  !  My  Heavenly  Father  has  been  so  kind  to 
me  that  I  cannot  express  it.  And  then  to  think  how  I  have 
wronged  Him  all  these  years  !" 

*'  You  have  indeed  learned  the  secret  of  true  eternal 
happiness,  Miss  Ludolph." 

"  I  believe  it, — I  feel  sure  of  it.  All  trouble,  all  pain 
will  one  day  pass  awajTTorever  ;  and  sometimes  I  feel  as 
if  I  must  sing  for  joy.  I  do  so  long  to  see  my  father  and 
tell  him.  I  fear  he  won't  believe  it  at  first,  but  I  can  pray 
as  you  did,  and  it  seems  as  if  my  Saviour  would  not  deny 
me  anything.  And  now,  Mr.  Fleet,  when  you  have  finished 
your  lunch,  I  am  going  to  ask  one  more  favor,  and  then 
will  dub  you  truest  knight  that  ever  served  defenceless 
woman.  You  will  find  my  father  for  me,  for  I  believe 
you  can  do  anything." 

Even  in  the  shadow  where  he  sat  she  caught  the  pained 
expression  of  his  face. 

She  started  up  and  grasped  his  arm. 

"You  know  something,"  she  said;  then  added:  "Do 
not  be  afraid  to  find  my  father  now.  When  he  knows 
what  services  you  have  rendered  me,  all  estrangement,  if 
any  existed,  will  pass  away." 


406  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

But  lie  averted  his  face,  and  she  saw  tears  gathering  in 
his  eyes. 

"Mr.  Fleet,"  she  gasped,  "do  you  know  anything  I  do 
not?" 

He  could  hide  the  truth  no  longer.  Indeed  it  was  time 
she  should  learn  it.  Turning  and  taking  her  trembling 
hand,  he  looked  at  her  so  sadly  and  kindly  that  she  at  once 
knew  her  father  was  dead. 

"  Oh,  my  father  !"  she  cried,  in  a  tone  of  anguish  that 
he  could  never  forget,  "  you  will  never,  never  know.  All 
day  I  have  been  longing  to  prove  to  you  the  truth  of 
Christianity  by  my  loving,  patient  tenderness,  but  you 
have  died,  and  will  never  know,"  she  moaned,  shudder- 
ingly. 

He  still  held  her  hand,— indeed  she  clung  to  his  as  lo 
something  that  might  help  sustain  her  in  the  dark,  bitter 
hour. 

"  Poor,  poor  father  I"  she  cried  ;  "I  never  treated  him 
as  I  ought,  and  now  he  will  never  know  the  wealth  of 
love  I  was  hoping  to  lavish  on  him."  Then,  looking  at 
Dennis  almost  reproachfully,  she  said  :  "  Could  you  not 
save  him  ?  You  saved  so  many  others." 

"  Indeed  I  could  not,  Miss  Ludolph  ;  I  tried,  and  nearly 
lost  my  life  in  the  effort.  The  great  hotel  behind  the  store 
fell  and  crushed  all  in  a  moment." 

She  shuddered,  but  at  last  whispered,  "  Why  have  you 
kept  this  so  long  from  me  ?" 

"  How  could  I  tell  you  when  the  blow  would  have  been 
death  ?  Even  now  you  can  scarcely  bear  it." 

"  My  little  beginning  oLiaiih_Js_sjomly  .tried.  Heavenly 
Spirit,''  she  cried,  "  guide  me  through  this  darkness,  and 
let  not  doubt  and  unbelief  cloud  my  mind  again." 

"  Such  prayer  will  be  answered,"  said  Dennis,  in  a  deep, 
low  tone. 

They  sat  in  the  twilight  in  silence.  He  still  held  her 
hand,  and  she  was  sobbing  more  gently  and  quietly.  Sud- 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  407 

uenly  she  asked,  "Is  it  wrong  thus  to  grieve  over  the 
breaking  of  an  earthly  tie  ?" 

"  No,  not  if  you  will  say  as  did  your  Lord  in  His  agony, 
'  O  My  Father,  Thy  will  be  done.'  " 

"  I  will  try,"  she  said,  softly,  "  but  it  is  hard." 

"  He  is  a  merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest.  For  in  that 
He  Himself  hath  suffered,  being  tempted,  He  is  able  to 
succor  them  that  are  tempted." 

"  Do  you  know  that  I  think  my  change  in  feeling  makes 
me  grieve  all  the  more  deeply  ?  Until  to-day  I  never 
loved  my  father  as  I  ought.  It  is  the  curse  of  unbelief  to 
deaden  everything  good  in  the  heart.  Oh,  I  do  feel  such 
a"^reat,  unspeakable  pity  for  him  !" 

"  Lik,e  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth 
them  that  fear  Him." 

"  Is  that  in  the  Bible  ?"  she  asked. 

"Yes." 

"  It  is  very  sweet.  He  indeed  must  be  my  refuge  now, 
for  I  am  alone  in  the  world." 

"  He  has  said,  '  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee.' 
I  have  passed  through  this  sorrow  so  recently  myself  that 
I  can  sympathize  with  you  as  a  fellow-sufferer." 

"True,  true,  you  have,"  she  answered.  "Is  that  the 
reason  that  Christ  suffered  with  us, — that  we  might  know 
He  sympathized  with  us  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  How  unspeakably  comforting  is  such  sympathy,  both 
human  and  divine  !  Tell  me  about  your  mother." 

"  I  fear  I  cannot  without  being  unmanned.  She  was 
one  of  heaven's  favorites,  and  I  owe  everything  to  her.  1 
can  tell  you  one  thing  though,  she  prayed  for  you  con 
tinually,— even  with  her  dying  lips,  when  my  faith  had 
broken  down." 

This  touched  Christine  very  deeply.  At  last  she  said,. 
"  I  shall  see  her  some  day." 


4:08  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

"I  wish  you  had  seen  her,"  he  continued  very  sadly, 
looking  as  if  at  a  scene  far  away. 

"  You  cannot  wish  it  more  than  I.  Indeed  I  would  have 
called  on  her,  had  it  not  been  for  an  unfortunate  accident. " 

He  looked  at  her  with  some  surprise,  as  if  not  under 
standing  her  remark,  but  said,  "  She  greatly  wished  to  see 
you  before  she  died. " 

"  Oh,  I  wish  I  had  known  it !" 

"  Did  you  not  know  it  ?"  he  asked,  in  a  startled  manner. 

"  No,  but  I  felt  grateful  to  her,  for  I  understood  that  she 
offered  to  take  care  of  me  in  case  I  had  the  small-pox.  I 
wanted  to  visit  her  very  much,  and  at  last  thought  I  would 
venture  to  do  so,  but  just  then  I  sprained  my  ankle.  I  sent 
my  maid  to  inquire,  but  fear  she  didn't  do  my  errand  very 
well,"  added  Christine,  looking  down. 

"  She  never  came,  Miss  Ludolph."  Then  he  continued, 
eagerly  :  "  I  fear  I  have  done  you  a  great  wrong.  A  little 
time  before  my  mother  died,  she  wrote  you  a  line  saying 
that  she  was  dying  and  would  like  to  see  you.  I  did  not 
know  you  could  not  come, — I  thought  you  would  not." 

Crimson  with  shame  and  humiliation,  Christine  buried 
her  burning  cheeks  in  her  hands  and  murmured,  "  I  never 
received  it." 

"  And  did  you  send  the  exquisite  flowers  and  fruit  ?"  he 
asked.  "Ah,  I  see  that  you  did.  I  am  so  glad, — so  very 
glad  that  I  was  mistaken  I  I  sincerely  ask  your  pardon 
for  my  unjust  thoughts." 

"  It  is  I  who  should  ask  pardon,  and  for  a  long  time  I 
have  earnestly  wished  that  I  might  find  opportunity  to  do 
so.  My  conduct  has  been  simply  monstrous,  but  of  late  it 
has  seemed  worse  than  the  reality.  Everything  has  been 
against  me.  If  you  only  knew— but — "  (and  her  head 
bowed  lower).  Then  she  added,  hastily,  "My  maid  has 
been  false,  and  I  must  have  appeared  more  heartless  than 
ever."  But,  with  bitter  shame  and  sorrow,  she  remem 
bered  who  must  have  been  the  inspirer  of  the  treachery, 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  409 

and,  though  she  never  spoke  of  it  again,  she  feared  that 
Dennis  suspected  it  also.  It  was  one  of  those  painful 
things  that  must  be  buried,  even  a-<?  the  grave  closes  over 
the  frail,  perishing  body. 

Let  those  who  are  tempted  to  a  wicked,  dishonorable 
deed  remember  that,  even  after  they  are  gone,  the  knowl-  \ 
edge  of  it  may  come  to  those  "who  loved  them,  like  an  in-  ! 
curabte  wound. 

Dennis's  resolution  not  to  speak  till  Christine  should  be 
no  longer  dependent  on  him  was  fast  melting  away,  as  he 
learned  that  she  had  not  been  so  callous  and  forgetful  as 
she  had  seemed.  But  before  he  could  add  another  word, 
a  wild,  sweet,  mournful  voice  was  heard  singing  :— • 

"  O  fiery  storm,  wilt  never  cease  ? 

Thy  burning  hail  falls  on  my  heart  ; 
Bury  me  deep,  that  I  in  peace 

May  rest  where  death  no  more  can  part." 

In  awed,  startled  tones  they  both  exclaimed, 

WlNTHROP  I' 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

DR.    ARTEN   STRUCK   BY   LIGHTNIHw. 

HASTENING  down  into  the  body  of  the  church,  Dennis 
and  Christine  found  Mrs.  Leonard  lying  on  some  cushions 
in  a  pew.  She  was  scantily  clad,  her  sweet  face  scorched 
and  blackened,  and  her  beautiful  hair  almost  crisped  away. 

Her  husband  was  bending  over  her  in  an  agony  of  min 
gled  grief  and  joy.  She  had  just  been  brought  in  from 
wandering  aimlessly  and  alone  quite  out  upon  the  prairie, 
singing  in  a  low,  plaintive  way  to  herself  words  suggested 
by  the  sudden  disaster  that  had  temporarily  robbed  her  of 
\usband,  of  reason,  and  almost  of  life. 

Dennis  afterward  learned  from  Professor  Leonard  that 


410  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

when  first  aroused  they  had  escaped  from  the  hotel,  but, 
not  realizing  the  danger,  he  had  stepped  back  a  moment  at 
her  request  to  get  something  she  valued  very  much,  and 
they  had  become  separated. 

"  And  thus  at  last  I  find  the  poor  child,"  he  cried,  with  a 
look  of  agony. 

Mrs.  Leonard  did  not  know  any  of  them,  but  continued 
her  low,  plaintive  singing. 

Dr.  Arten,  who  had  found  his  way  to  the  church  as  one 
of  the  centres,  was  soon  in  attendance,  his  benevolent  face 
becoming  the  very  embodiment  of  pity.  The  crowd  were 
pushed  back,  and  with  other  kind  ladies  Christine  took 
charge  of  her  poor  unconscious  friend,  and  all  was  done 
that  skill  and  tender  love  could  suggest.  At  last,  under 
the  doctor's  opiates,  her  low,  weird  singing  ceased,  and  she 
slept,  her  husband  holding  her  hand.  The  thronging  fugi 
tives  were  kept  a  little  away,  and  Dr.  Arten  slept  near,  to 
,be  within  call. 

A  lady  asked  Christine  to  go  home  with  her,  but  she 
thanked  her  and  said,  "  No,  I  would  rather  remain  in  the 
church  near  my  friends." 

Dennis  saw  that  she  was  greatly  wearied.     Taking  her 

hand,  he  said  :  "  Miss  Ludolph,  it  is  my  turn  to  take  care 

of  you  again.     See,  our  friends  are  preparing  a  place  there 

v  for  the  ladies  to  sleep.     Please  go  to  rest  at  once,  for  you 

do  indeed  need  it." 

"  I  am  very  tired,  but  I  know  I  could  not  sleep.  How 
strange  this  life  is  !  All  day,  the  world,  in  spite  of  what 
has  happened,  seemed  growing  brighter.  Now  with  the 
night  has  come  the  deeper  darkness  of  sorrow.  On  every 
side  pain  and  suffering  seem  to  predominate,  and  to  me 
there  will  ever  be  so  much  mystery  in  events  like  my  fa 
ther's  death  and  my  friend  Susie's  experience,  that  I  know 
it  will  be  hard  to  maintain  a  childlike  faith." 

"  God  will  help  you  to  trust ;  you  will  not  be  left  to 
struggle  alone.  Then  remember  you  are  His  child,  and 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  411 

earthly  parents  do  jaauch  that  little  children  cannot  under 
stand." 

With  a  faint  smile  she  answered  :  "  I  fear  I  shall  be  one 
of  those  troublesome  children  that  are  ever  asking  why. 
All  day  it  has  seemed  so  easy  to  be  a  Christian,  but  already 
I  learn  that  there  will  be  times  when  I  shall  have  to  cling 
to  my  Saviour,  instead  of  being  carried  forward  in  His 
arms.  Indeed,  I  almost  fear  that  I  shall  lose  Him  in  the 
darkness." 

"  But  He  will  not  lose  you,"  replied  Dennis.  "  Since  yot 
are  not  sleepy,  let  me  tell  you  a  short  Bible  story." 

"  Oh,  do,  please  do,  just  as  if  I  were  a  little  child/' 

"  It  is  in  the  New  Testament.  Jesus  Had  sent  His  disci 
pies  in  a  boat  across  the  sea  of  Galilee,  while  He  should  gc 
up  alone  on  a  mountain  to  pray.  The  night  came,  ano 
with  it  a  storm  swept  down  against  the  disciples.  The 
smooth  sea  was  lashed  into  great  foam-crested  waves  whicb 
broke  over  their  little  ship.  They  tugged  hour  after  houi 
at  the  oars,  but  in  vain.  The  night  grew  darker,  the  wind 
more  contrary,  the  waves  higher  and  more  threatening, 
their  arms  wearied,  and  they  may  have  feared  that  they 
would  perish  alone  and  without  remedy  in  the  black  mid- 
night.  But  we  read  that '  He  saw  them  toiling  in  rowing,' 
though  they  knew  it  not.  From  the  distant  mountain  side 
*  He  saw  them ' — marked  every  weary  stroke  of  the  oar, 
and  every  throb  of  fear.  But  at  last,  when  they  were  most 
ready  to  welcome  Him,  when  none  could  say,  '  We  should 
have  rowed  through  the  storm  alone,'  He  came  to  them 
walking  safely  on  the  dark  waves  that  threatened  them 
with  death,  and  said,  *  Be  of  good  cheer,  it  is  I  ;  be  not 
afraid.'  Then  they  gladly  received  Him  into  the  ship,  and 
immediately  the  rough  waves  were  hushed,  and  the  keel  of 
the  boat  grated  on  the  beach  toward  which  they  had  vainly 
rowed.  Then  they  that  were  in  the  ship  came  and  wor 
shipped  Him,  saying,  '  Of  a  truth  thou  art  the  Son  of  God.' 

"  Now  it  was  on  the  evening  of  that  very  night  that  these 


4:12  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

same  disciples  iiad  engaged  in  a  scene  of  festivity.  They 
had  stood  in  the  sunset  on  the  mountain  slope,  and  seen 
their  Lord  feed  many  thousand.  Then  all  was  peace, 
safety,  and  good  cheer.  Life  changed  as  quickly  for  them 
as  for  you,  but  did  not  their  Divine  Master  see  them  as 
truly  in  the  stormy  night  as  in  the  sunlight  ?  Did  He  leave 
them  to  perish  ? 

"  Hejsrwatching  you^Miss  Ludolph,  for  He  is  ever  the 
same  ;  and  before  this  stormy  night  of  your  sorrow  passes 
away  you  will  hear  His  voice,  saying,  *  Be  of  good  cheer, 
it  is  I ;  be  not  afraid.'  " 

**  Already  I  hear  it,"  she  said,  in  a  low,  glad  voice,  smil 
ing  through  her  tears.  "  I  can,  I  do  trust  Him,  and  the 
conflicting  winds  of  doubt  and  fear  are  becoming  still. 
Among  all  these  homeless  people  there  must  be  many  sad, 
discouraged  hearts.  You  have  helped  me  so  much ;  can 
you  not  say  a  word  or  sing  something  that  will  help  them  ?" 

Dennis  thought  a  moment,  and  then,  in  a  sweet,  clear 
voice  that  penetrated  every  part  of  the  large  building, 
sung  :— 

t 

"  Father  in  Heaven,  the  night  is  around  us, 

Terror  and  danger  our  portion  have  been  ; 
We  cry  unto  Thee,  oh,  save  and  defend  us, 
Comfort  the  trembling,  and  pardon  our  sin. 

"  Hearts  that  are  heavy,  look  onward  and  upward  ; 

Though  wild  was  the  storm  that  wrecked  your  loved  homes, 
Faith  lifts  your  sad  glances  hopefully  heavenward, 
To  mansions  prepared  with  glory-crowned  domes. 

"  Hearts  that  are  breaking,  whose  lov'd  ones  have  vanished, 

Swept  down  in  the  seething  ocean  of  fire, 
E'en  now  they  may  rest  where  pain  is  all  banished, 
And  join  their  glad  songs  with  the  heavenly  choir. 

M  Hearts  that  are  groaning  with  life's  weary  burden, 
V       Who  fear  to  go  forward,  to  sorrow  arprey  ; 
|    Jesus  invites  you — '  Oh,  come,  heavy  laden  ;' 
Leave  sin  at  His  feet,  bear  mercy  away." 


BARRIERS  B  URN  ED   A  }\TA  Y.  413 

After  the  first  line  there  was  a  breathless  hush  ;  but, 
when  he  closed,  low  sobbings  might  be  heard  from  many 
of  the  women,  and  in  the  dim  light  not  a  few  tears  shone 
in  the  eyes  of  manhood.  Dennis's  voice  was  sympathetic 
in  its  character,  and  he  had  the  power  of  throwing  into  it 
much  feeling. 

Christine  was  weeping  quietly,  but  her  tears  now  were 
like  the  warm  spring  rain  as  it  falls  on  the  precious  seed. 
At  last  she  said,  "  You  have  done  these  people  much 
good." 

"  To  you  belongs  all  the  credit,  for  it  was  at  your  sug 
gestion  I  sang. ' ' 

She  shook  her  head,  and  then  said,  ' '  Good-night,  my 
friend,  I  shall  never  forget  this  day  with  its  mingled  expe 
rience';  but  I  think,  I  hope,  I  shall  never  doubt  God 
again  ;"  and  she  went  to  her  rest. 

The  light  of  the  next  day  brought  to  view  many  hard 
realities,  and  chief  among  these  was  the  bread  question, 
Dennis  was  up  with  the  dawn,  and  by  eager  inquiries  sought 
to  comprehend  the  situation.  Some  were  gloomy  and  dis 
couraged,  some  apathetic,  and  some  determined,  courageous, 
and  hopeful ;  and  to  this  last  class  he  belonged. 

Most  thankful  that  he  had  come  out  of  the  fiery  ordeal 
unscathed,  he  resolved  to  contribute  his  quota  toward  a 
new  and  better  Chicago.  Young,  and  sanguine  in  tem 
perament,  he  already  saw  the  city  rise  from  its  ashes  in 
statelier  proportions  and  richer  prosperity.  With  a  thrill 
of  exultation  he  heard  the  report  that  some  Napoleonic 
business  men  had  already  telegraphed  for  building  material, 
and  were  even  now  excavating  the  hot  ruins. 

Christine  had  hardly  joined  him  as  he  stood  at  the  door 
when  a  gentleman  entered  and  asked,  "  Who  here  are  will 
ing  and  able  to  work  for  fair  wages  ?" 

"  I  am  at  your  service,"  said  Dennis,  stepping  forward 
promptly. 

''You  are  a  gentleman,  sir,"  said  the  speaker,  impressed 


414  CARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

with  the  fact  by  Dennis's  bearing,  though  his  hat  and  coat 
were  gone  ;  "  I  need  laborers  who  can  handle  the  pick  and 
shovel." 

"  I  will  work  for  less,  then,  till  I  can  handle  these  tools 
as  well  as  a  laborer.  There  is  no  reason  why  I  should  eat 
the  bread  of  charity  a  day  longer,  especially  when  so  many 
need  it  more  than  I." 

"  I  said  you  were  a  gentleman  ;  I  now  say  you  are  a  man, 
and  that  to  me  means  a  great  deal  more,"  said  the  energetic 
stranger.  "  You  shall  have  two  dollars  a  day  with  the 
rest." 

Pe  turned  to  Christine  and  said,  almost  proudly,  "  The 
supper  you  have  to-night  shall  be  yours  also." 

"That  is,"  she  replied,  with  a  smile,  "I  shall  live  on 
your  charity  instead  of  that  of  some  one  else." 

His  face  grew  sad  at  once,  but  he  answered,  as  he  went 
away,  "  I  could  not  give  you  charity,  Miss  Ludolph. " 

Christine  saw  that  she  had  pained  him,  and  was  much 
vexed  with  herself.  But  his  remark  added  to  the  hope  and 
almost  belief  that  she  still  held  her  old  place  in  his  heart, 
and  she  resolved  to  make  amends  in  the  evening  for  her 
unlucky  speech. 

With  a  smile  she  said  to  herself  :  "  If  he  only  knew  that 
1  would  prefer  the  coarsest,  scantiest  fare  provided  by  him 
to  the  most  costly  banquet,  he  would  not  have  gone  away 
with  that  long  face.  How  rich  life  would  be  if  I  could 
commence  it  with  him,  and  we  struggle  up  together  !  O 
Heaven,  grant,"  she  sighed,  looking  earnestly  upward, 
"  that  through  these  wonderful,  terrible  changes,  I  may 
climb  the  mountain  at  his  clue,  as  he  so  graphically  por 
trayed  it  in  his  picture  1" 

Mrs.  Leonard  still  slept,  and  her  husband  in  an  agony  of 
anxiety  watched  at  her  side.  At  last,  a  little  before  mid 
day,  she  opened  her  eyes  and  said,  in  her  natural  tone  . 
"  Why,  John,  I  must  have  greatly  overslept.  Where  am 
I?"  and  then,  as  her  husband  fairly  sobbed  for  joy,  sha 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY,  415 

started  up  and  said,  hurriedly:  "What  is  the  matter? 
What  has  happened  ?' ' 

"Oh,  be  cairn!"  whispered  Christine  to  the  professor. 
"Everything  depends  on  keeping  her  quiet,"  Then  she 
bent  over  her  friend,  and  said  :  "  Do  not  be  alarmed,  Susie  ; 
you  are  now  safe  and  well,  and  so  is  your  husband.  But 
you  have  been  ill,  and  for  his  sake  and  your  own  you  must 
keep  quiet." 

She  turned  inquiringly  to  her  husband,  who  said,  more 
calmly,  "It  is  all  true,  and  if  you  can  only  be  careful  we 
can  go  back  to  Boston  as  well  as  ever." 

"  I  will  do  anything  you  say,  John  ;  but  why  am  I  in  a 
church?" 

"  You  were  taken  sick  in  the  street,  and  this  was  the 
nearest  place  to  bring  you." 

"  Oh  dear  !  I  have  had  such  strange,  dreadful  dreams,  I 
am  so  glad  they  were  only  dreams,  and  you  are  here  with 
me  ;"  and  she  lay  quietly  holding  her  husband's  hands  and 
looking  contentedly  in  his  face.  It  was  evident  she  was 
herself  again,  and  much  better. 

Dr.  Arten  soon  after  came  and -said,  cheerily,  "  All  right  1 
all  right !  will  have  you  out  in  a  day  or  two  as  good  as 
new,  and  then,  Miss  Luclolph,  you  will  see  how  much  more 
grateful  she  is  to  the  old  doctor  than  you  were." 

"You  must  present  your  bill,"  replied  Christine,  with  a 
smile. 

"  May  I?"  retorted  the  doctor,  wiping  his  lips. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know  about  that,"  cried  Christine  ;  adding, 
quickly,  "  when  I  welcome  you  to  my  own  home  you 
may." 

"  An  old  maid's  hall,  I  suppose." 

"  It  will  be  an  orphan's  home,  at  least,"  said  Christine, 
softly  and  sadly. 

Tears  filled  the  old  man's  eyes,  and  putting  his  arm 
around  her  he  drew  her  to  him,  saying,  as  he  stroked  her 
drooping  head:  "Poor  child  I  poor  child!  I  did  not 


416  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAf 

know.  But  you  shall  never  want  a  protector  while  the  old 
doctor  is  above  ground.  As  far  as  possible  I  will  be  a  fa 
ther  to  you  ;"  and  Christine  knew  she  had  found  a  friend 
as  true  and  strong  as  steel,  and  she  buried  her  face  on  his 
shoulder  and  cried  as  trustingly  as  his  own  child  might 
have  done. 

"  O  Christine  1"  cried  Mrs.  Leonard,  "  I  am  so  sorry  for 
you  I" 

At  the  voice  of  her  old  friend  she  at  once  rallied,  and, 
trying  to  smile  through  her  tears,  said,  "  God  has  been  so 
much  better  to  me  than  I  deserved  that  I  have  only  grati 
tude  when  I  think  of  myself  ;  but  my  poor  father—"  and 
again  she  covered  her  face  and  wept. 

"  Christine,  come  here,"  said  Mrs.  Leonard,  softly,  and 
she  put  her  arms  around  the  weeping  girl.  "  You  spoke 
of  God's  being  good  to  you.  Have  you  in  truth  found  and 
learned  to  trust  Him  ?" 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  eagerly,  joy  and  peace  coming  out 
in  her  face  like  the  sun  shining  through  clouds  and  rain. 
Then  with  bowed  head  she  whispered  low  :  * '  The  one  I 
wronged  on  earth  led  me  to  the  One  I  wronged  in  heaven, 
and  both  have  forgiven  me.  Oh,  I  am  so  glad,  so  happy  I" 

"  Then  you  have  seen  Mr.  Fleet  ?" 

"  Yes,  he  saved  my  life  again  and  again  ;  but  in  teach 
ing  me  how  to  find  my  Saviour,  he  has  done  far  more  for 
me." 

"  And  you  will  not  wrong  him  any  more,  will  you, 
Christine  ?  He  has  loved  you  so  long  and  faithfully." 

In  reply  slie  lifted  an  eager  face  to  her  friend  and  said, 
"  Do  you  think  he  can  love  me  still  after  my  treatment  of 
Mm?" 

"  Give  him  a  chance  to  tell  you,"  said  Mrs.  Leonard, 
with  a  half -mischievous  smile.  "  Has  he  not  shown  his 
feelings  ?" 

"  He  has  treated  me  more  as  a  brother  might  have  done, 
and  yet  he  is  so  very  respectful  and  deferential — I  hope — 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  417 

but  I  am  not  perfectly  sure — and  then  he  seems  under  some 
restraint. ' ' 

Mrs.  Leonard  said,  musingly  :  "  He  knows  that  you  are 
Baroness  Ludolph.  I  told  him  last  week,  for  I  thought  he 
ought  to  know,  and  the  fact  of  your  approaching  departure 
for  Europe  has  been  no  secret  of  late.  He  thinks  you  are 
pledged  to  a  future  in  which  ho  cannot  share  ;  and  in  your 
grateful,  dependent  condition  he  would  not  cause  you  the 
pain  of  refusing  him.  I  think  that  is  just  where  he 
stands,"  she  concluded,  with  a  woman's  mastery  of  the 
science  of  love,  and  taking  almost  as  much  interest  in  her 
friend's  affair  as  she  had  felt  in  her  own.  To  most  ladies 
this  subject  has  a  peculiar  fascination,  and,  having  settled 
their  own  matters,  they  enter  with  scarcely  less  zest  on  the 
task  of  helping  others  arrange  theirs.  Mrs.  Leonard  ral 
lied  faster  under  the  excitement  of  this  new  interest  than 
from  the  doctor's  remedies. 

After  a  few  moments'  thought  Christine  said,  decidedly  : 
"  All  that  nonsense  about  the  Baroness  Ludolph  is  passed 
forever, — burned  up  in  the  fire  with  many  things  of  more 
value.  I  have  been  fed  too  long  on  the  husks  of  human 
greatness  and  ambition  to  want  any  more  of  them.  They 
never  did  satisfy  me,  and  in  the  light  and  heat  of  the  ter 
rific  ordeal  through  which  I  have  just  passed  they  shriv 
elled  jito  utter  nothingness,  I  want  something  that  I  can 
not  io^e  in  a  whiff  of  smoke  and  flame,  and  I  think  I  have 
found  it.  Henceforth  I  claim  no  other  character  than  that 
of  a  simple  Christian  girl."  Then  bowing  her  head  on  her 
friend's  shoulder  she  added,  in  a  whisper,  "  If  I  could 
climb  to  true  greatness  by  Mr.  Fleet's  airU^gp  frp  pprt.rayp.rlJt 
in  his^jcture,  it  seems  to  me  heaven  would  begin  at  once." 

The  doctor,  who  had  taken  the  professor  aside,  now  joined 
them,  and  said  :  "  Mrs.  Leonard,  you  have  only  to  take 
reasonable  care  of  yourself,  and  you  will  soon  recover  from 
this  shock  and  exposure.  I  wish  all  my  patients  were  doing 
as  well." 


418  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

She  replied  with  a  smile,  taking  her  husband's  hand  : 
"  Since  I  have  found  my  old  Greek  here,  with  his  learned 
spectacles,  I  am  quite  myself,  and  I  feel  as  if  I  were  only 
playing  invalid." 

"  You  may  have  slept  in  a  church  before,"  said  the  doc 
tor,  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  "  and  you  must  do  so  again. 
But  no  one  will  thunder  at  you  from  the  pulpit  this  time, 
so  I  leave  you  in  peace  and  security,  and  to-night  will  be 
within  call." 

Christine  followed  him  to  the  lobby  of  the  church,  when 
the  irrepressible  joker  could  not  forbear  saying  :  "  Now 
let  me  give  you  a  little  paternal  advice.  Don't  be  too 
grateful  to  that  young  Fleet.  He  only  did  his  duty,  and 
of  course  doesn't  deserve  any  special — " 

Christine,  with  flushing  cheeks,  interrupted  him  as  if  she 
had  not  heard  :  ' '  Doctor,  how  good  and  kind  you  are  ! 
Here  you  are  off  without  any  rest  to  look  after  the  sick  and 
suffering,  and  you  seem  to  bring  health  and  hope  wher 
ever  you  go." 

' L  Yes,  yes  ;  but  I  send  my  bill  in  too— mind  that. ' ' 
(Some  of  his  poorer  patients  never  received  any,  and  he, 
when  twitted  of  the  fact,  would  mutter,  roughly,  "  Busi 
ness  oversight — can't  attend  to  everything.") 

Christine  looked  for  a  moment  at  the  face  so  inspiring  in 
its  hearty  benevolence,  and  with  an  impulse,  so  unlike  the 
cold,  haughty  girl  of  old,  sprung  forward,  threw  her  arms 
around  his  neck,  and  gave  him  a  kiss  which  he  declared 
afterward  was  like  a  mild  stroke  of  lightning,  and  said, 
"  And  there  is  the  first  instalment  of  what  I  owe  you." 

The  old  gentleman  looked  as  if  he  decidedly  liked  the 
currency,  and  with  moistened  eyes  that  he  vainly  tried  to 
render  humorous,  he  raised  his  fiuger  impressively  in  park 
ing,  and  said,  "  Don't  you  ever  get  out  of  debt  to  me." 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  419 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 
BILL  CRONK'S  TOAST, 

AFTER  all,  it  was  a  long  day  to  Christine.  Tears  would 
start  from  her.  eyes  at  the  thought  of  her  father,  but  she 
realized  that  the  only  thing  for  her  to  do  was  to  shroud  his 
memory  in  a  great,  forgiving  pity,  and  put  it  away  forever. 
She  could  only  turn  from  Hie  mystery  of  his  life  and  death 
— the  mystery  of  evil— to  Him  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world.  There  was  no  darkness  in  that  direction.  She 
busied  herself  with  Mrs.  Leonard,  and  the  distribution  of 
food  to  others,  till  six  o'clock,  and  then  she  stood  near  the 
door  to  watch  till  her  truej^night  should  appear  in  his  shirt 
sleeves,  with  a  shovel  on  his  shoulder,  and  an  old  burnt, 
tattered  felt  hat  on  his  head,  instead  of  jewelled  crest  and 
heron  plume. 

Dennis  had  gone  to  his  work  not  very  hopeful.  He  knew 
Christine  would  be  his  grateful  friend  while  she  lived,  and 
would  perhaps  even  regard  him  as  a  brother,  but  all  this 
might  be  and  still  she  be  unable  to  respond  to  his  deeper 
feelings.  Moreover,  he  knew  she  was  Baroness  Ludolph, 
and  might  be  heiress  of  such  titles  and  estates  in  Germany 
as  would  require  that  she  should  go  at  once  to  secure 
them  ;  and  so  she  seemed  clearly  to  pass  beyond  his 
sphere. 

As  he  shovelled  the  hot  bricks  and  cinders  hour  after 
hour  among  other  laborers,  the  distance  between  himself 
and  the  Baroness  Ludolph  seemed  to  increase  :  and  when, 
begrimed  and  weary,  he  sat  down  to  eat  his  dinner  of  a  sin 
gle  sandwich  saved  from  breakfast  (for  as  yet  he  had  no 
money),  the  ruins  around  him  were  quite  in  keeping  with 
his  feelings.  He  thought  most  regretfully  of  his  two  thou 
sand  dollars  and  burned  picture.  The  brave,  resolute 
spirit  of  the  morning  had  deserted  him.  He  did  not  realize 


120  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

that  few  men  have  lived  who  could  be  brave  and  hopeful 
when  weary  and  hungry,  and  fewer  still,  when,  in  addi 
tion,  they  doubted  the  favor  of  the  lady  of  their  love. 

The  work  of  the  afternoon  seemed  desperately  hard  and 
long,  but  with  dogged  persistency  Dennis  held  his  own 
with  the  others  till  six,  and  in  common  with  them  received 
his  two  dollars.  Whether  Christine  would  accept  the  sup 
per  he  brought  or  not,  he  determined  to  fulfil  his  promise 
and  bring  one.  Wearily  he  trudged  off  to  the  west  side, 
in  order  to  find  a  store.  No  one  who  met  him  would  have 
imagined  that  this  plodding  laborer  was  the  artist  who  the 
week  before  had  won  the  prize  and  title  of  genius. 

If  he  had  been  purchasing  a  supper  for  himself,  he  would 
doubtless  have  been  sensible  about  it  ;  but  one  that  the 
Baroness  Ludolph  might  share  was  a  different  matter.  He 
bought  some  very  rich  cake,  a  can  of  peaches,  a  box  of  sar 
dines,  some  fruit,  and  then  his  money  gave  out  !  But,  with 
these  incongruous  and  indigestible  articles  made  up  into 
one  large  bundle,  he  started  for  the  church.  He  had  gone 
but  a  little  way  when  some  one  rushed  upon  him,  and  lit 
tle  Ernst  clasped  him  round  the  neck  and  fairly  cried  for 
joy.  Sitting  on  the  sidewalk  near  were  the  other  little 
Bruders,  looking  as  forlorn  and  dirty  as  three  motherless 
children  could.  "Dennis  stopped  and  sat  down  beside  them 
(for  he  was  too  tired  to  stand),  while  Ernst  told  his  story — 
how  their  mother  had  left  them,  and  how  she  had  been 
found  so  burned  that  she  was  recognized  only  by  a  ring 
(which  he  had)  and  a  bit  of  the  picture  preserved  under 
her  body.  They  had  been  looking  ever  since  to  find  him, 
and  had  slept  where  they  could. 

As  Ernst  sobbingly  told  his  story  the  other  children  cried 
in  doleful  chorus,  and  Dennis's  tears  fell  fast  too,  as  he 
realized  how  his  humble  friend  had  perished.  He  remem 
bered  her  kindness  to  his  mother  and  little  sisters,  and  his 
heart  acknowledged  the  claim  of  these  poor  little  orphans. 
Prudence  whispered,  "You  cannot  afford  to  burden  your 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT.  421 

self  with  all  these  children,"  and  pride  added,  "What  a 
figure  you  will  make  in  presenting  yourself  before  the 
Baroness  Ludolph  with  all  these  children  at  your  heels  I" 
But  he  put  such  thoughts  resolutely  aside,  and  spoke  like 
a  brother  ;  and  when  one  of  the  children  sobbed,  "  We  so 
hungry  1"  out  came  the  Baroness  Ludolph 's  fruit  and  cake, 
and  nothing  remained  for  Christine  but  the  sardines  and 
peaches,  since  these  could  not  well  be  opened  in  the  street. 
The  little  Bruders  having  devoured  what  seemed  to  them 
the  ambrosia  of  the  gods,  he  took  the  youngest  in  his  arms, 
Ernst  following  with  the  others  ;  and  so  they  slowly  made 
their  way  to  the  church  where  Christine  was  now  anxious 
ly  waiting,  with  many  surmises  and  forebodings  at  Den 
nis's  delay. 

At  last,  in  the  dusk,  the  little  group  appeared  at  the 
church-door,  and  she  exclaimed,  "  What  has  kept  you  so, 
Mr.  Fleet?" 

He  determined  to  put  the  best  face  on  the  situation,  and 
indulge  in  no  heroics,  so  he  said,  "  You  could  not  expect 
such  a  body  of  infantry  as  this  to  march  rapidly." 

"  What  !'*  she  exclaimed,  "  have  you  brought  all  the  lost 
children  in  the  city  back  with  you  ?" 

"  No,  only  those  that  fell  properly  to  my  care  ;"  and  in 
a  few  words  he  told  their  story. 

"  And  do  you,  without  a  cent  in  the  world,  mean  to  as 
sume  the  burden  of  these  four  children  f  she  asked,  in  ac 
cents  of  surprise, 

He  could  not  see  her  face,  but  his  heart  sunk  within  him, 
for  he  thought  that  to  her  it  would  seem  quixotic  and  be 
come  another  barrier  between  them  ;  but  he  answered,  firm 
ly  ;  "  Yes,  till  God,  who  has  imposed  the  burden,  removes 
it,  and  enables  me  to  place  them  among  friends  in  a  good 
home.  Mrs.  Bruder,  before  she  died,  wrote  to  her  family 
in  Germany,  telling  her  whole  story.  Relatives  may  take 
the  children  ;  if  not,  some  way  will  be  provided." 


422  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

*  Mr.  Fleet,  I  wonder  at  you,"  was  her  answer.  "  Give 
me  that  child,  and  you  bring  the  others." 

He  wondered  at  her  as  he  saw  her  take  the  child  and  im 
print  a  kiss  on  the  sleepy,  dirty  face  ;  and  Ernst,  who  had 
been  eying  her  askance,  crept  timidly  nearer  when  he  saw 
the  kiss,  and  whispered,  "  Perhaps  her  old  outside  heart 
had  been  burnt  away." 

They  followed  to  a  lobby  of  the  lecture-room,  and  here 
she  procured  a  damp  towel  and  proceeded  to  remove  the 
tear  and  dust  stains  from  the  round  and  wondering  faces  of 
the  children.  Having  restored  them  to  something  of  their 
original  color,  she  took  them  away  to  supper,  saying  to 
Dennis,  with  a  decided  nod,  "  You  stay  here  till  I  come 
for  you." 

Something  in  her  manner  reminded  him  of  the  same  lit 
tle  autocrat  who  had  ordered  him  about  when  they  arranged 
the  store  together.  She  soon  returned  with  a  basin  of 
water  and  a  towel,  saying  :  "  See  what  a  luxury  you  secure 
by  obeying  orders.  Now  give  an  account  of  yourself,  as 
every  lady's  knight  should  on  his  return.  How  have  you 
spent  the  day  ?' ' 

He  could  not  forbear  laughing  as  he  said  :  "  My  employ 
ment  has  been  almost  ludicrously  incongruous  with  the  title 
by  which  you  honor  me.  I  have  been  shovelling  brick  and 
(flaortar  with  other  laborers." 

"  All  day?" 

"All  day." 

Her  glance  became  so  tender  and  wistful  that  he  forgot 
to  wash  his  hands  in  looking  at  her,  and  felt  for  the  mo 
ment  as  if  he  could  shovel  rubbish  forever,  if  such  could 
be  his  reward. 

Seemingly  by  an  effort,  she  regained  her  brusque  manner, 
which  he  did  not  know  was  but  the  mask  she  was  trying 
to  wear,  and  said,  quickly  :  "  What  is  the  matter?  Why 
don't  you  wash  your  face  ?" 

"  You  told  me  to  give  an  account  of  myself,"  he  retort* 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  423 

ed,  at  the  same  time  showing  rising  color  in  Ms  dust-be 
grimed  face. 

"  Well,  one  of  your  ability  can  do  two  things  at  once. 
What  have  you  got  in  that  bundle  ?" 

"  You  may  have  forgotten,  but  I  promised  to  bring  you 
home  something  that  you  chose  to  regard  as  charity." 

"  If  I  was  so  ungracious,  you  ought  to  have  rewarded 
me  by  bringing  me  a  broken  brick.  Will  you  let  me  see 
what  you  brought?"  but  without  waiting  for  permission 
she  pounced  upon  the  bundle  and  dragged  out  the  peaches 
and  sardines. 

He,  having  washed  and  partially  wiped  his  face,  was 
now  able  to  display  more  of  his  embarrassment,  and  add 
ed,  apologetically  :  "  That  is  not  all  I  had.  I  also  bought 
some  cake  and  fruit,  and  then  my  money  gave  out." 

"  And  do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  have  no  money  left  ?" 

"  Not  a  penny,"  he  answered,  desperately. 

"  But  where  are  the  cake  and  fruit  ?" 

"  Well,"  he  said,  laughingly,  "  I  found  the  little  Bruders 
famishing  on  the  sidewalk,  and  they  got  the  best  part  of 
your  supper." 

"  What  an  escape  I  have  had  I"  she  exclaimed.  "  Do 
you  think  I  should  have  survived  the  night  if  I  had  eaten 
those  strangely  assorted  dainties,  as  in  honor  bound  I  would 
have  done,  since  you  brought  them  ?"  Then  with  a  face 
of  comical  severity  she  turned  upon  him  and  saicl  :  "  Mr. 
Fleet,  you  need  some  one  to  take  care  of  you.  What  kind 
of  economy  do  you  call  this,  sir,  especially  on  the  part  of  one 
who  has  burdened  himself  with  four  helpless  children?" 

There  was  a  mingling  of  sense  and  seriousness  in  her 
raillery,  which  he  recognized,  and  he  said,  with  a  half -vexed 
laugh  at  himself  :  "  Well,  really,  Miss  Ludolph,  I  suppose 
that  I  have  not  wholly  regained  my  wits  since  the  fire.  I 
throw  myself  on  your  mercy."  (The  same  expression  he 
had  used  once  before.  She  remembered  it,  and  her  face 
changed  instantly.)  Turning  hastily  away  to  hide  her 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WAT. 

feelings,  she  said,  in  a  rather  husky  voice,  <4  When  I  was  a 
wicked  fool,  I  told  you  I  had  none  ;  but  I  think  I  am  a  lit 
tle  changed  now."  Then  she  added,  sharply,  "  Please 
don't  stand  there  keeping  our  friends  waiting  ;"  and  she 
led  the  way  into  the  lecture-room,  now  filled  with  tables 
and  hungry  people. 

Dennis  was  in  a  maze,  and  could  scarcely  understand  her, 
she  was  so  different  from  tho  pensive  lady,  shrinking  from 
rude  contact  with  the  world,  that  he  had  expected  to  meet. 
He  did  not  realize  that  there  was  not  a  particle  of  weak 
sentimentality  about  her,  and  that,  since  now  pride  was 
gone,  her  energetic  spirit  would  make  her  as  truly  a  leader 
in  scenes  like  these  as  in  those  with  which  she  had  been 
familiar.  Much  less  could  he  understand  that  she  was  hid 
ing  a  heart  brimming  over  with  love  to  him. 

He  followed  her,  however,  with  much  assumed  humility. 
When  in  the  middle  of  Hie  room,  who  should  meet  him 
squarely  but  Bill  Cronk  ? 

"  Hollo  !"  he  roared,  giving  Dennis  a  slap  on  his  back 
that  startled  even  the  hungry,  apathetic  people  at  the 
tables. 

Dennis  wTas  now  almost  desperate.  Glad  as  he  was  to  see 
Cronk,  he  felt  that  he  was  gathering  around  him  a  com 
pany  as  incongruous  as  was  the  supper  he  had  brought 
home.  If  Yahcob  Bunk  or  even  the  red-nosed  bar-tender 
had  appeared,  to  claim  him  as  brother,  he  would  scarcely 
have  been  surprised.  He  naturally  thought  that  the  Baren 
ess  Ludolph  might  hesitate  before  entering  such  a  circle  of 
intimates.  But  he  was  not  guilty  of  the  meanness  of  cut 
ting  a  humble  friend,  even  though  he  saw  the  eyes  of 
Christine  resting  on  him.  In  his  embarrassment,  however, 
he  held  out  the  wash-basin  in  his  confused  effort  to  shake 
hands,  and  said,  heartily,  "  Why,  Cronk,  I  am  glad  you 
came  safely  out  of  it," 

"  Is  this  gentleman  a  friend  of  yours  ?"  asked  Christine, 
with  inimitable  grace. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  425 

"  Yes  I"  said  Dennis,  firmly,  though  coloring  somewhat. 
"  He  once  rendered  me  a  great  kindness — " 

"  Well,  miss,  you  bet  your  money  on  the  right  hoss  that 
time,"  interrupted  Bill.  "  If  I  hain't  a  friend  of  his'n.  I'd. 
like  to  know  where  you'll  find  one  ;  though  I  did  kick  up 
like  a  cussed  ole  mule  when  he  knocked  the  bottle  out  of 
my  hand.  Like  enough  if  he  hadn't  I  wouldn't  be  here." 

"Won't  you  present  me,.  Mr.  Fleet?"  said  Christine, 
with  an  amused  twinkle  in  her  eye. 

"Mr.  Cronk,"  said  Dennis  (who  had  now  reached  that 
state  of  mind  when  one  becomes  reckless),  "this  lady  is 
Miss  Ludolph,  and,  I  hope  I  may  venture  to  add,  another 
friend  of  mine." 

She  at  once  put  out  her  hand,  that  seemed  like  a  snow- 
flake  in  the  great  horny  paw  of  the  drover,  and  said,  "  In 
deed,  Mr.  Cronk,  I  will  permit  no  one  to  claim  stronger 
friendship  to  Mr.  Fleet  than  mine." 

"  I  can  take  any  friend  of  Mr.  Fleet's  to  my  buzzom  at. 
once,"  said  Bill,  speaking  figuratively,  but  Christine  in 
stinctively  shrunk  nearer  Dennis.  In  talking  with  men, 
Bill  used  the  off-hand  vernacular  of  his  calling,  but  when 
addressing  ladies,  he  evidently  thought  that  a  certain  style 
of  metaphor  bordering  on  sentiment  was  the  proper  thing. 
But  Christine  said,  "  As  a  friend  of  Mr.  Fleet's  you  shall 
join  our  party  at  once  ;"  and  she  led  them  to  the  farther 
end  of  the  room,  where  at  a  table  sat  Dr.  Ax  ten,  Professor 
and  Mrs.  Leonard,  Ernst,  and  the  little  Bruders,  who  at 
the  prospect  of  more  eating  were  wide  awake  again.  After 
the  most  hearty  greetings  they  were  seated,  and  she  took 
her  place  by  the  side  of  the  little  children  in  order  to  wait 
on  them.  Few  more  remarkable  groups  sat  down  together, 
even  in  that  time  of  chaos  and  deprivation.  Professor  Leon 
ard  was  without  vest  or  collar,  and  sat  with  coat  buttoned 
tight  up  to  his  chin  to  hide  the  defect.  He  had  lost  his  schol 
arly  gold-rimmed  spectacles,  and  a  wonderful  pair  of  goggles 
bestrode  his  nose  in  their  place.  Mrs.  Leonard  was  lost  in 


426  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

the  folds  of  an  old  delaine  dress  that  was  a  mile  too  large, 
and  her  face  looked  as  if  she  had  assisted  actively  in  an 
Irish  wake.  Dr.  Arten  did  the  honors  at  the  head  of  the 
table  in  his  dress  coat  and  vest  that  had  once  been  white, 
though  he  no  longer  figured  around  in  red  flannel  drawers 
as  he  had  done  on  the  beach.  The  little  round  faces  of  the 
Bruders  seemed  as  if  protruding  from  animated  rag  babies, 
while  nothing  could  dim  the  glory  of  Ernst's  great  spiritual 
eyes,  as  they  gratefully  and  wistfully  followed  Dennis's 
every  movement.  Cronk  was  in  a  very  dilapidated  and 
famished  state,  and  endured  many  and  varied  tortures  in 
his  efforts  to  be  polite  while  he  bolted  sandwiches  at  a  rate 
that  threatened  famine.  Christine  still  wore  the  woollen 
dress  she  had  so  hastily  donned  with  Dennis's  assistance  on 
Sunday  night,  and  the  marks  of  the  fire  were  all  over  it. 
Around  her  neck  the  sparks  had  burned  a  hole  here  and 
there,  through  which  her  white  shoulders  gleamed.  "While 
she  was  self-possessed  and  assiduous  in  her  attention  to  the 
little  children,  there  was  a  glow  of  excitement  in  her  eyes 
which  perhaps  Mrs.  Leonard  understood  better  than  any 
one  else,  though  the  shrewd  old  doctor  was  anything  but 
blind. 

Dennis  sat  next  to  Christine  in  shirt-sleeves  once  white, 
but  now,  through  dust  and  smoke,  of  as  many  colors  as 
Joseph's  coat.  He  was  too  weary  to  eat  much,  and  there 
was  a  weight  upon  his  spirits  that  he  could  not  throw  off, — 
the  inevitable  despondency  that  follows  great  fatigue  when 
the  mind  is  not  at  rest. 

Christine  darted  away  and  brought  him  a  huge  mug  of 
hot  coffee. 

"Really,  Miss  Ludolph,"  he  remonstrated,  "you  should 
not  wait  on  me  in  this  style." 

"  You  may  well  feel  honored,  sir,"  said  Mrs.  Leonard. 
"  It  is  not  every  man  that  is  waited  on  by  a  baroness." 

"  The  trouble  with  Christine  is  that  she  is  too  grateful," 
put  in  the  old  doctor. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  4.27 

"  Now  I  should  say  that  was  scarcely  possible  in  view 
of—"  commenced  the  professor,  innocently. 

"  I  really  hope  Miss  Ludolph  will  do  nothing  more  from 
gratitude,"  interrupted  Dennis,  in  a  low  tone  that  showed 
decided  annoyance. 

The  doctor  and  Mrs.  Leonard  were  ready  to  burst  with 
suppressed  amusement,  and  Cronk,  seeing  something  going 
on  that  he  did  not  understand,  looked  curiously  around 
with  a  sandwich  half-way  to  his  open  mouth,  while  Ernst, 
believing  from  Dennis's  tone  that  he  was  wronged,  turned 
his  great  eyes  reproachfully  from  one  to  another.  But 
Christine  was  equal  to  the  occasion.  Lifting  her  head  and 
looking  round  with  a  free,  clear  glance  she  said,  "  And  I 
say  that  men  who  meet  this  great  disaster  with  courage 
and  fortitude,  and  hopefully  set  about  retrieving  it,  possess 
an  inherent  nobility  such  as  no  king  or  kaiser  could  bestow, 
and,  were  I  twenty  times  a  baroness,  I  should  esteem  it  an 
honor  t  ">  wait  upon  them." 

A  round  of  applause  followed  this  speech,  in  which 
Cronk  joined  vociferously,  and  Mrs.  Leonard  whispered  t 
"  O  Christine,  how  beautifully  I  learn  from  your  face  the 
difference  between  dignity  ,.ancL-pxide  !  That  was  your 
same  old  proud  look,  changed  and  glorified  into  something 
so  much  better." 

Dennis  also  saw  her  expression,  and  could  not  disguise 
his  admiration,  but  every  moment  he  increasingly  felt  how 
desperately  hard  it  would  be  to  give  her  up,  now  that  she 
seemed  to  realize  his  very  ideal  of  womanhood. 

And  Cronk,  having  satisfied  the  clamors  of  his  appetite, 
began  to  be  fascinated  in  his  rough  way  with  her  grace  and 
beauty.  Nudging  Dennis  he  asked  in  a  loud  whisper  heard 
by  all,  which  nearly  caused  Dr.  Arten  to  choke,  "  The 
young  filly  is  a  German  lady,  ain't  she  ?" 

Dennis,  much  embarrassed,  nodded  assent. 

A  happy  thought  struck  Bill.  Though  impeded  by  the 
weight  of  an  indefinite  number  of  sandwiches,  he  slowly 


428  BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT. 

rose  and  looked  solemnly  round  on  the  little  group.  Den 
nis  trembled,  for  he  feared  some  dreadful  bull  on  the  part 
of  his  rough,  though  well-meaning  friend,  but  Dr.  Arten, 
in  a  state  of  intense  enjoyment,  cried,  "  Mr.  Cronk  has  the 
floor." 

Lifting  a  can  of  coffee  containing  about  a  quart,  the 
drover  said  impressively,  and  with  an  attempt  at  great 
stateliness : — 

"  Beautiful  ladies  and  honorable  gentlemen  here  assem 
bled,  I  would  respectfully  ask  you  to  drink  to  a  toast  in 
this  harmless  beverage  :  The  United  States  of  Amerikyf 
When  the  two  great  elemental  races — the  sanguinary  Yan 
kee  and  the  pleagmatic  German — become  one,  and,  as 
represented  in  the  blooded  team  before  me"  (waving  his 
hand  majestically  over  the  heads  of  Dennis  and  Christine), 
"  pull  in  the  traces  together,  how  will  the  ship  of  state  go 
forward  1"  and  his  face  disappeared  behind  his  huge  flagon 
of  coffee  in  the  deepest  pledge.  Bill  thought  he  had  uttered 
a  very  profound  and  elegant  sentiment,  but  his  speech  fell 
li  ^  a  bomb-shell  in  the  little  company. 

The  very  spirit  of  mischief  is  abroad  to-day,"  Dennis 
groaned.  And  Christine,  with  a  face  like  a  peony,  snatched 
up  the  youngest  little  Bruder,  saying,  "It  is  time  these 
sleepy  children  were  in  bed;"  but  the  doctor  and  the 
Leonards  went  off  again  and  again  in  uncontrollable  fits 
of  laughter,  in  which  Dennis  could  not  refrain  from  join 
ing,  though  he  wished  the  unlucky  Cronk  a  thousand  miles 
away.  Bill  put  down  his  mug,  stared  around  in  a  surprised 
and  nonplussed  manner,  and  then  said,  in  a  loud  whisper, 
"  I  say,  Fleet,  was  there  any  hitch  in  what  I  said  ?" 

This  set  them  off  again,  but  Dennis  answered  good- 
naturedly,  slapping  his  friend  on  the  shoulder,  "  Cronk, 
you  would  mnke  a  man  laugh  in  the  face  of  fate." 

Bill  took  this  as  a  compliment,  and  the  strange  party, 
thrown  together  by  an  event  that  mingled  all  classes  in  the 
community,  broke  up  and  went  their  several  ways. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  429 


CHAPTER  L. 

EVERY  BARRIER  BURNED   AWAY. 

DENNIS  was  glad  to  escape,  and  went  to  a  side  door 
where  he  could  cool  his  hot  cheeks  in  the  night  air.  He 
fairly  dreaded  to  meet  Christine  again,  and,  even  where 
the  wind  blew  cold  upon  him,  his  cheeks  grew  hotter  and 
hotter,  as  he  remembered  what  had  occurred.  He  had 
been  there  but  a  little  time  when  a  light  hand  fell  on  his 
arm,  and  he  was  startled  by  her  voice, — "  Mr.  Fleet,  are 
you  very  tired  ?" 

"Not  in  the  least,"  he  answered,  eagerly. 

"  You  must  be  :  it  is  wrong  for  me  to  think  of  it." 

"  Miss  Ludolph,  please  tell  me  what  I  can  do  for  you  ?" 
/  She  looked  at  him  wistfully  and  said  :  **  This  is  a  time 
when  loss  and  disaster  burden  every  heart,  and  I  know  it 
is  a  duty  to  try  to  maintain  a  cheerful  courage,  and  forget 
personal  troubles.  I  have  tried  to-day,  and,  with  God's 
help,  hope  in  time  to  succeed.  While  endeavoring  to  wear 
in  public  a  cheerful  face,  I  may  perhaps  now,  and  to  so 
true  a  friend  as  yourself,  show  more  of  my  real  feelings 
Is  it  too  far — would  it  take  too  long,  to  go  to  where  my 
father  died  ?  His  remains  could  not  have  been  removed." 

"  Alas,  Miss  Ludolph."  said  Dennis,  very  gently,  "  there 
can  be  no  visible  remains.  The  words  of  the  Prayer  Book 
are  literally  true  in  this  case — *  Ashes  to  ashes.'  But  I  can 
take  you  to  the  spot,  and  it  is  natural  that  you  should  wish 
to  go.  Are  you  equal  to  the  fatigue  ?" 

"  I  shall  not  feel  it  if  you  go  with  me,  and  then  we  can 
ride  part  of  the  way,  for  I  have  a  little  money."  (Dr. 
Arten  had  insisted  on  her  taking  some.)  "  Wait  for  me  a 
moment," 

Sht  Boon  reappeared  with  her  shawl  cut  in  two  equal 


4^0  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

parts.  One  she  insisted  on  folding  and  putting  around 
him  as  a  Scotsman  wears  his  plaid.  "  You  will  need  it  in 
the  cool  night  wind,"  she  said,  and  then  she  took  his  arm 
in  perfect  trust,  and  they  started. 

In  the  cars  she  gave  him  her  money,  and  he  said,  "  I 
will  return  my  fare  to-morrow  night." 

"  What  I"  she  replied,  looking  a  little  hurt,  "  After 
spending  two  dollars  on  me,  will  you  not  take  five  cents  in 
return  ?' ' 

"  But  I  spent  it  foolishly." 

"  You  spent  it  like  a  generous  man.  Surely,  Mr.  Fleet, 
you  did  not  understand  my  badinage  this  evening.  If 
I  had  not  spoken  to  you  in  that  strain,  I  could  not  have 
spoken  at  all.  You  have  been  a  brother  to  me,  and  we 
should  not  stand  on  these  little  things. ' ' 

"  That  is  it,"  thought  he  again.  "  She  looks  upon  and 
trusts  me  as  a  brother,  and  such  I  must  try  to  be  till  she 
departs  for  her  own  land  ;  yet  if  she  knew  the  agony  of 
the  effort  she  would  scarcely  ask  it." 

But  as  they  left  the  car,  he  said,  "  All  that  you  would 
ask  from  a  brother,  please  ask  from  me." 

She  put  her  hand  in  his,  and  said,  "  I  now  ask  your  sup 
port,  sympathy,  and  prayer,  for  I  feel  that  I  shall  need  all 
here." 

Still  retaining  her  hand,  he  placed  it  on  his  arm  and 
guided  her  most  carefully  around  the  hot  ruins  and  heaps 
of  rubbish  till  they  came  to  where  the  Art  Building  had 
stood.  The  moon  shone  brightly  down,  lighting  up  with 
weird  and  ghostly  effect  the  few  walls  remaining.  They 
were  utterly  alone  in  the  midst  of  a  desolation  sevenfold 
more  impressing  than  that  of  the  desert.  Pointing  to  the 
spot  whete,  in  the  midst  of  his  treasures  of  art  and  idolized 
worldly  possessions,  Mr.  Ludolph  had  perished,  she  said, 
in  a  thrilling  whisper,  "  My  father's  ashes  are  there." 

"Yes/' 

Her  breath  came  quick  and  short,  and  her  face  was  so 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY.  431 

pale  and  agonized  that  lie  trembled  for  her,  but  he  tight 
ened  his  grasp  on  her  hand,  and  his  tears  fell  with  hers. 

"  O  my  father  1"  she  cried,  in  a  tone  of  unspeakable 
pathos,  "  can  I  never,  never  see  you  again  ?  Can  I  never 
tell  you  of  the  love  of  Jesus,  and  the  better  and  happier 
life  beyond  ?  Oh,  how  my  heart  yearns  after  you  !  God 
forgive  me  if  this,  is  wrong,  but  I  cannot  help  it  !" 

" It  is  not  wrong,"  said  Dennis,  brokenly.     "Our  Lord 
Himself  wept  over  those  He  could  not  save." 
~~"~rtfls  all  that  I  can  do,"  she  murmured,  and,  leaning 
her  head  on  his  shoulder,  a  tempest  of  sobs  shook  her 
person. 

He  supported  her  tenderly,  and  said,  in  accents  of  the 
deepest  sympathy,  "  let  every  tear  fall  that  will  :  they  will 
do  you  good."  At  last,  as  she  became  calmer,  he  added, 
*'  Rejnember  that  your  great  Elder  Brother  has  called  the 
heavy  laden  to  Him  for  rest." 

~~~~At  last  she  raised  her  head,  turned,  and  gave  one  long 
parting  look,  and,  as  Dennis  saw  her  face  in  the  white 
moonlight,  it  was  the  face  of  a  pitying  angel.  A  low 
'^Farewell !"  trembled  from  her  lips,  she  leaned  heavily 
on  his  arm,  they  turned  away,  and  seemingly  the  curtain 
fell  between  father  and  child  to  rise  no  more. 

"Mr.  Fleet,"  she  said,  pleadingly,  "are  you  too  tired  to 
take  me  to  my  old  home  on  the  north  side  ?" 

"  Miss  Ludolph,  I  could  go  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  for 
you,  but  you  are  not  equal  to  this  strain  upon  your  feel 
ings.  Have  mercy  on  yourself." 

Eut  she  said,  in  a  low,  dreamy  tone  :  "  I  wish  to  take 
leave  to-night  of  my  old  life— the  strange,  sad  past  with 
its  mystery  of  evil ;  and  then  I  shall  set  my  face  resolutely 
toward  a  better  life,— a  better  country.  So  bear  with  me, 
my  true,  kind  friend,  a  little  longer." 

"  Believe  me,  my  thought  was  all  for  you.  All  sense  of 
fatigue  has  passed  away." 

Silently  they  made  their  way,  till  they  stood  where,  a 


432  BARRIERS  BURNED  AWAY, 

few  short  days  before,  had  been  the  elegant  home  that  was 
full  of  sad  and  painful  memories  to  both. 

"There  was  my  studio,"  she  said  in  the  same  dreamy 
tone,  "  where  I  indulged  in  my  wild,  ambitious,  dreams, 
and  sought  to  grasp  a  little  fading  circlet  of  laurel,  while 
ignoring  a  heavenly  and  an  immortal  crown.  There,"  she 
continued,  her  pale  face  becoming  crimson,  even  in  the 
:  white  moonlight,  "  I  most  painfully  wronged  you,  iny 
:  most  generous,  forgiving  friend,  and  a  noble  revenge  you 
jtook  when  you  saved  my  life  and  led  me  to  a  Saviour. 
May  God  reward  you ;  but  I  humbly  ask  your  par 
don—" 

"  Please,  Miss  Ludolph,  do  not  speak  of  that.  I  have 
buried  it  all.  Do  not  pain  yourself  by  recalling  that  which 
I  have  forgiven  and  almost  forgotten.  You  are  now»my 
ideal  of  all  that  is  noble  and  good,  and  in  my  solitary  artist 
life  of  the  future  you  shall  be  my  gentle  yet  potent  in 
spiration.  " 

"  Why  must  your  life  be  solitary  in  the  future?"  she 
asked,  in  a  low  tone. 

He  was  very  pale,  and  his  arm  trembled  under  her  hand  ; 
at  last  he  said,  in  a  hoarse  voice,  "  Do  not  ask  me.  Why 
should  I  pain  you  by  telling  you  the  truth  ?" 

"  Is  it  the  part  of  a  true  friend  to  refuse  confidence?" 
she  asked,  reproachfully. 

He  turned  his  face  away,  that  she  might  not  see  the  evi 
dences  of  the  bitter  struggle  within,— the  severest  he  had 
ever  known  ;  but  at  last  he  spoke  in  the  firm  and  quiet 
voice  of  victory.  She  had  called  him  brother,  and  trusted 
him  as  such.  She  had  ventured  out  alone  on  a  sacred  mis 
sion  with  him,  as  she  might  with  a  brother.  She  was  de 
pendent  on  him,  and  burdened  by  a  feeling  of  obligation. 
His  high  sense  of  honor  forbade  that  he  should  urge  his 
suit  under  such  circumstances.  If  she  could  not  accept, 
how  painful  beyond  words  would  be  the  necessity  of  re 
fusal,  and  the  impression  had  become  almost  fixed  in  his 


BARRIERS  BURNED  A  WA  T.  4:]3 

mind  that  her  regard  for  him  was  only  sisterly  and  grate 
ful  in  its  character. 

"  Yes,  Miss  Ludolph,"  he  said,  "  my  silence  is  the  part 
of  true  friendship, — truer  than  you  can  ever  know.  May 
Heaven's  richest  blessings  go  with  you  to  your  own  land, 
and  follow  you  through  a  long,  happy  life." 

"  My  own  land  ?    This  is  my  own  land." 

"  Do  you  not  intend  to  go  abroad  at  once,  and  enter  upon 
your  ancestral  estates  as  the  Baroness  Ludolph  ?" 

"  Not  if  I  can  earn  a  livelihood  in  Chicago,"  she  an 
swered,  most  firmly.  "Mr.  Fleet,  all  that  nonsense  has 
perished  as  utterly  as  this  my  former  home.  It  belongs  to 
my  old  life,  of  which  I  have  forever  taken  leave  to-night. 
My  ancestral  estate  in  Germany  is  but  a  petty  affair,  and 
mortgaged  beyond  its  real  worth  by  my  deceased  uncle. 
All  I  possess,  all  I  value,  is  in  this  city.  It  was  my  father's 
ambition,  and  at  one  time  my  own,  to  restore  the  ancient 
grandeur  of  the  family  with  the  wealth  acquired  in  this 
land.  The  plan  lost  its  charms  for  me  long  ago— I  would 
not  have  gone  if  I  could  have  helped  it— and  now  it  is  im 
possible.  It  has  perished  in  flame  and  smoke.  Mr.  Fleet, 
you  see  before  you  a  simple  American  girl.  I  claim  and 
wish  to  be  known  in  no  other  character.  If  nothing  re 
mains  of  my  father's  fortune  I  shall  teach  either  music  or 
painting — " 

"  O  Christine  1"  he  interrupted,  "  forgive  me  for  speak 
ing  to  you  under  the  circumstances,  but  indeed  I  cannot 
help  it.  Is  there  hope  foi  me  ?" 

She  looked  at  him  so  earnestly  as  to  remind  him  of  her 
strange,  steady  gaze  when  before  he  pleaded  for  her  love 
near  that  same  spot,  but  her  hand  trembled  in  his  like  a 
fluttering,  frightened  bird.  In  a  low,  eager  tone  she  said, 
"  And  can  you  still  truly  love  me  after  all  the  shameful 
past  ?" 

"  When  have  I  ceased  to  love  you  ?" 

With  a  little  cry  of  ecstasy,  like  the  note  of  joy  that  a 


434  BAREIERS  BURNED  AWAY. 

weary  bird  might  utter  as  it  flew  to  its  mate,  she  put  her 
arm  around  his  neck,  buried  her  face  on  his  shoulder,  and 
said,  "  No  hope  for  you,  Dennis,  but  perfect  certainty,  for 

now  EVERY  BABBTBB  IS  BUKNED  AWAY  1" 

What  though  the  home  before  them  is  a  deserted  rum  ? 
Love  is  joining  hands  that  shall  build  a  fairer  and  better 
one,  because  filled  with  that  which  only  makes  a  home, — 
love. 

What  though  all  around  are  only  dreary  ruins,  where  the 
night  wind  is  sighing  mournfully  ?  Love  has  transformed 
that  desert  place  into  the  paradise  of  God  ;  and,  if  such  is 
its  power  in  the  wastes  of  earthly  desolation,  what  will  be 
its  might  amid  the  perfect  scenes  of  heaven  ? 

Our  story  is  finished. 

It  only  remains  to  say  that  Christine  stands  high  at  court, 
but  it  is  a  grander  one  than  any  of  earth.  She  is  allied  to  a 
noble,  but  to  one  who  has  received  his  patent  from  no 
petty  sovereign  of  this  world.  She  has  lost  sight  of  the 
transient  laurel  wreath  which  she  sought  to  grasp  at  such 
cost  to  herself  and  others,  in  view  of  the  "  crown  of  glory 
that  fadeth  not  away,"  and  to  this  already,  as  an  earnest 
Christian,  she  has  added  starry  jewels. 

Below  is  the  Ludolph  Hall  in  which  sturdy  independence 
led  her  to  begin  her  married  life.  But  she  is  climbing  the 
mountain  at  her  husband's  side,  and  often  her  hands  steady 
and  help  him.  The  ash-tree,  twined  with  the  '  passion 
flower,  is  not  very  far  above  them,  and  the  villa,  beautiful 
within  and  without,  is  no  vain  dream  of  the  future.  But 
even  in  happy  youth  their  eyes  of  faith  see  in  airy,  golden 
autline  their  heavenly  home  awaiting  them. 


BARRIERS  BURNED  AW  AT, 


435 


SHELTER    COMMITTEE 

HOUSE)  WITH  TWO  BOOMS. 


NOTE.— The  above  is  a  diagram  of  the  little  houses  furnished  by  the 
Chicago  Shelter  Committee  to  those  who  possessed  or  could  procure 
ground  on  which  to  build. 


14  DAY  USE 


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